What artifact lets users relive genetic memories in Assassin's Creed?

The Animus is the fictional device that lets users relive genetic memories in Assassin's Creed. It connects a person's present-day consciousness to memories inherited through DNA from ancestors.

Desmond Miles uses the Animus in the first game after being captured by Abstergo Industries. By experiencing the memories of Altaïr and later ancestors, he helps Abstergo search for information about powerful artifacts and the historical Assassin–Templar conflict.

The device provides the series with its transition between historical adventures and modern-day science fiction. Different games depict improved Animus models, including systems that can simulate memories through DNA samples and other technological interfaces.

The Animus is not the same thing as an Apple of Eden. Apples are Pieces of Eden with extraordinary powers, while the Animus is a machine used to access ancestral memories. The Bleeding Effect is a side effect of prolonged exposure, not the machine itself.