What is the Animus called in Assassin's Creed lore: a device for what purpose?

The Animus is a device for reliving genetic memories in Assassin's Creed lore.

The machine lets a user experience ancestral memories encoded in DNA. In the games, this allows modern characters to explore historical events through the lives of their ancestors without physically traveling into the past. Desmond Miles is the best-known early user of the Animus.

The Animus is not presented as a conventional time machine. The user remains in the modern world while the device interprets inherited memories and creates an interactive simulation. This framework explains why historical sequences can be played from a modern narrative viewpoint.

Abstergo Industries develops and uses Animus technology, while the Assassins also obtain and adapt versions of it. Later stories expand the system through portable devices and commercial products. The concept is central to the franchise because it connects modern conspiracies with historical protagonists and allows separate eras to form one continuing story.