ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Zak transform

The Zak transform is a way to divide up signals, like sound or light, into lots of pieces so that they can be studied or changed in different ways. It works by splitting up a signal into many small pieces, almost like taking lots of tiny snapshots of the signal. Those very small pieces can then be studied right away or changed in some way before being put back together to look like the original signal.