In Assassin's Creed, the Animus is the machine used by modern characters to simulate ancestral memories.
The Animus allows a user to access genetic memories inherited from an ancestor and experience them as an interactive simulation. In the first game, Desmond Miles uses the machine under the direction of Abstergo Industries to relive the memories of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.
The device is central to the series' structure because it connects modern-day scenes with historical gameplay. Later entries introduce variants, portable systems, and related technologies, but the Animus remains the best-known name for the memory interface.
Helix is a later Abstergo entertainment platform rather than the original generic machine. Eagle Vision is a perception ability used by characters, while the Bleeding Effect is a consequence of extended exposure to ancestral memories. These terms are related to the series' technology and abilities but are not the machine's name.