The Animus is the fictional machine that lets characters experience genetic memories in Assassin's Creed.
In the series, the Animus reads inherited memories encoded in a person's DNA and reconstructs them as interactive simulations. This device allows a modern user to experience the lives of ancestors, creating a narrative link between historical adventures and present-day events.
Desmond Miles first uses an Animus in the original game after being captured by Abstergo Industries. His sessions let him relive the life of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad while Abstergo searches for information connected to the Pieces of Eden.
The Animus is not a time machine: users do not physically travel into the past. Later games introduce portable systems, commercialized versions, and the Helix interface, but the Animus remains the core technology.