The Animus is the fictional device used to relive genetic memories in Assassin's Creed.
In the series, the Animus is a machine developed from research into human genetic memory. A user enters the device and experiences ancestral memories encoded in their DNA, allowing the modern-day story to explore historical events through a playable perspective.
Desmond Miles is the best-known early user, reliving memories connected to ancestors such as Altaïr, Ezio, and Connor. Later games introduce different Animus users and portable or remote versions of the technology, but the basic concept remains central to the franchise's narrative structure.
The Animus is not the same as an Apple of Eden. Apples are powerful First Civilization artifacts, while Eagle Vision is an Assassin ability that highlights people and objects. The Bleeding Effect is a side effect of prolonged Animus exposure, in which users begin to acquire skills or memories from ancestors.