A method and apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation includes a plurality of electrodes 306 arranged in at least a first and second plane, and a digital signal processor 310 configured to

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation which may find application in radio frequency energy harvesting, electromagnetic beam forming, communication, and related applications. The described method and apparatus does not require metamaterials and is programmable. BACKGROUND Renewable energy sources are considered a significant development as a power source as we move from the second to the third industrial revolution era and beyond. Additionally, means of transmitting the energy generated from these sources are of great importance. One method of energy transfer is through wireless power transfer. Modern portable devices frequently use wireless power transfer for battery charging. The same type of power transfer is also in demand in the modern automobile industry, where the rollout of easy-to-use charging stations are required for the ever-growing electric vehicle market. In the last two decades, research has accelerated the development of wireless power harvesting machines and gadgets. Generally, wireless power transfer is divided into radiative and non-radiative technologies. The non-radiative power transfer works on mutual induction between two inductors. Its efficiency can be very high, but it only works in near-field regions, for example, a mobile phone resting on a wireless charging pad. Alternatively, radiative power transfer involves resonating microwave components and can work in the far-field as well. However, this process inherits its own challenges, such as low efficiency over long distances and interference with other devices. Radiative power transfer may use a radio frequency (RF) harvester to collect the electromagnetic radiation from a source. One way to improve efficiency is to increase the surface area of the RF harvester, but that may change the operating frequency of the harvester. The best way to increase efficiency is to use an array of RF harvesters or metasurfaces. Both have their advantages and challenges. The most common issue of using an array of RF harvesters is phase shifting, which requires additional phase shifters to resolve this issue. Metasurfaces, comprising a metamaterial, circumvents the issue of phase shifting. Metasurfaces are designed to enhance wireless efficiency by manipulating electromagnetic (EM) fields. Metasurfaces focus EM fields between an RF source and an RF harvester. A metamaterial may be an artificial sheet of material that has a subwavelength thickness, with or without subwavelength-scaled patterns. However, the use of metamaterials for a metasurface is limited due to their bulkiness, complexity, and cost. The issue of bulkiness can be resolved by increasing the mass density through the introduction of fractional dimensions, i.e., using fractal metamaterials. Fractal metamaterials can achieve wideband and multi-band performance, at the expense of significantly increasing the complexity of production. There is accordingly scope for improvement. The preceding discussion of the background to the invention is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge in the art as at the priority date of the application. SUMMARY In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of manipulating electromagnetic radiation emitted by an electromagnetic wave source and received by an electromagnetic wave receiver, the method comprising the steps of: providing an apparatus which includes a plurality of electrodes in at least a first plane and a second plane spaced apart from the first plane, and which includes a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to control a differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes; positioning the apparatus between the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source travels through a pathway between the first and second planes; by means of the DSP, controlling the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes so as to modify an electric field in the pathway between the first plane and the second plane, wherein the electric field interacts with and manipulates the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source through constructive or destructive interference so as to direct or concentrate the electromagnetic radiation received at the electromagnetic wave receiver. The first plane and second plane may be parallel to each other and the electrodes may be arranged in one or more opposing pairs on the first and second planes. The first and second planes may be arranged in parallel to a direction of travel of the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that the electric field in the pathway may be at right angles to the direction of travel. Multiple pairs of electrodes may be provided, and the method may include separately controlling the differential voltage level of each pair of electrodes to modify the electric field differently in different portions of the pathway between the first plane and the second plane. The electrodes may be arranged so that the electric field in the pathway may induce a change in a permittivity in the pathway along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a second axis extending at right angles to the first axis. The electrodes may be arranged so that the electric field in the pathway may induce a change in a permittivity in the pathway along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel. The apparatus may include a plurality of electrodes in at least a third plane and a fourth plane spaced apart from each other, and the DSP may control the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes. The third plane may be parallel to the second plane and spaced apart from the second plane and the fourth plane may be parallel to the third plane, such that the electric field in the pathways between the second and third plane and the third and fourth plane, may induce a change in the permittivity in the pathway along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the planes and perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel. The first and second plane may be parallel to each other, the third and fourth plane may be parallel to each other, and the third and fourth plane may be perpendicular to the first and second plane. The apparatus may include a plurality of electrodes in a fifth plane and a sixth plane spaced apart from the fifth plane, where the fifth plane and sixth plane may be perpendicular to the first, second, third, and fourth planes, and the DSP may control the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes. The fifth plane may be parallel to the sixth plane and spaced apart from the sixth plane, so that the differential voltage level applied to the electrodes may form the electric field in a pathway between the planes, where the permittivity in the pathway may change along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel and perpendicular to the second axis. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation emitted by an electromagnetic wave source and received by an electromagnetic wave receiver, comprising: a plurality of electrodes provided in at least a first plane and a second plane spaced apart from the first plane; and a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to control differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the apparatus may be configured to be positioned between the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source travels through a pathway between the first and second planes; and wherein the DSP may be configured to control the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes so as to modify an electric field in the pathway between the first plane and the second plane, wherein the electric field interacts with and manipulates the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source through constructive or destructive interference so as to direct or concentrate the electromagnetic radiation received at the electromagnetic wave receiver. The apparatus may have any one or more of the features previously described in conjunction with the method. The DSP may be configured to separately control the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes to modify the electric field differently in different portions of the pathway between the first plane and the second plane. The electrodes may be arranged such that the electric field in the pathway induces a change in a permittivity in the pathway along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel. The apparatus may include a plurality of electrodes in a third plane and a fourth plane spaced apart from each other, and the DSP may be configured to control the differential voltage level of each of the plurality of electrodes. The apparatus may facilitate power transfer between the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver via radiative power transfer. The apparatus may include a supporting frame structure that may be configured to hold the electrode pairs in a pre-configured arrangement relative to each other. The pathway between the electrode pairs may include a dielectric medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is an illustration of the operation of a conventional metasurface concentrating EM waves towards an RF energy harvester; Figure 2 is an illustration of EM waves being reflected, absorbed or transmitted through a metamaterial; Figure 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of the apparatus comprising two electrical conductors, a voltage source, and a digital signal processing module; Figure 4 is an illustration of a 3D embodiment of Figure 3 with two electrical conductors directly opposing each other, and an EM wave receiver; Figure 5A is an illustration of a conventional metasurface containing multiple layers of metamaterials with fractionality in one dimension only; Figure 5B is an illustration of a conventional metasurface containing multiple layers of metamaterials with fractionality in two dimensions only; Figure 6 is an illustration of an embodiment of the apparatus with two pairs of electrical conductors with independent voltage sources, forming a virtual metasurface with fractionality in one dimension only; Figure 7 is an illustration of an embodiment of the apparatus with multiple pairs of electrical conductors and a digital signal processing module, forming a virtual metasurface with fractionality in two dimensions only; Figure 8A is an illustration of a two-dimensional embodiment of the apparatus with multiple pairs of electrical conductors, forming of a first example of a non-homogenous EM field; Figure 8B is an illustration of a two-dimensional embodiment of the apparatus with multiple pairs of electrical conductors, forming of a second example of a non-homogenous EM field; Figure 9 is an illustration of a three-dimensional virtual metasurface with multiple pairs of electrical conductors, forming a Menger sponge shape of the EM field; Figure 10 is an illustration of four electrical conductors with diagonal EM fields generated by diagonally opposed electrical conductors; and, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a computing device in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS An apparatus and a method for controlling an apparatus for electromagnetic radiation manipulation, without the use of metamaterials, is disclosed. The apparatus may be used for manipulating, concentrating, or focusing electromagnetic (EM) waves, which are a form of electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus mitigates efficiency issues of radio frequency (RF) energy harvesters. Particularly, the apparatus provides a programmable means to mimic the manner that a conventional metasurface may manipulate EM waves. The apparatus may mimic the behaviour of a fractal metasurface, where the fractal metasurface may include fractal patterns in its design to improve its EM modulation performance. The apparatus may in some instances be referred to as a ‘virtual’ metasurface, as its function is like that of a conventional metasurface but without containing a metamaterial or fractal pattern structure. The programmable nature of the apparatus allows it to function across a wide EM spectrum, negating the need for many costly metasurfaces that only function within a specific EM spectrum band. The manner with which the apparatus achieves the programmable and virtual aspects of the design is explained further below. Figure 1 illustrates the operation of a conventional metasurface apparatus (100), where an external field of EM waves (102), which is a form of EM radiation, pass through a conventional fractal metasurface (104), which may include a metamaterial, onto a receiver or harvester (106). If a metasurface was not present, the external EM waves (102) would naturally move away (108) from the receiver (106) in other directions when not influenced by the metasurface (104). The metasurface (104) concentrates the EM waves (102) towards the desired region of the receiver (106) due to its refractive properties, improving the efficiency at the receiver (106). This may come at the expense of size, cost, and complexity to manufacture the metasurface (104). The highly complex media of the metasurface (104) exhibits fractal geometry, such that it exhibits the selfsimilarity property of fractal geometry. Figure 2 illustrates the principles of EM wave manipulation by showing EM waves propagating through a material of a metasurface (104). An incident EM wave (202) on a metasurface material (220), from where it may either reflect (204) causing an outgoing reflected EM wave, it may be absorbed (210) into the material, or it may move through (206) the material (220) to be transmitted (208) out of the material (220). The amount of reflection, absorption, or transmission of EM waves (102) within a metasurface (104) is determined by its material properties. By carefully designing the refractive index profile of the material, the direction of EM waves may be controlled. The apparatus may manipulate the EM waves using the principles of EM manipulation as shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus (300). The apparatus may include; a plurality of electrodes (304, 314) placed in at least a first plane and a second plane spaced apart from each other, a pathway (302) that forms in the space between the planes of the electrodes (304, 314), a voltage source (306), and a digital signal processor (DSP) (310). The voltage source (306) may be configured to supply a differential voltage to the electrodes (304, 314). The second plane may be parallel to the first plane. The electrodes (304, 314) may be arranged in one or more opposing pairs on the first and second planes, such as a first opposing electrode (304) may be on the first plane and a second opposing electrode (314) may be on the second plane. When a differential voltage is applied to the electrode pair (304, 314), an electric field (308) may form in the pathway (302) between the electrodes (304, 314). The electric field (308) in the pathway (302) between the electrode pair (304, 314) may mimic the effect of other metamaterials by causing reflection or transmission of EM waves. The electric field (308) in the pathway (302) may interact with and manipulate the EM wave (102) through constructive or destructive interference so as to direct or concentrate the EM wave (102) received at the EM wave receiver. The apparatus (300) may include multiple voltage sources (306). Each voltage source may supply a differential voltage level to a single electrode (304). Alternatively, a single voltage source may supply the differential voltage to a pair of electrodes or to multiple pairs of electrodes. The DSP (310) may determine and control a differential voltage level that each voltage source (306) must output. The pathway (302) between the electrodes (304, 314) may typically be air or a vacuum or any dielectric medium. However, any other suitable material or metamaterial may be in the space (302) between electrical conductor pairs (304, 314). A dielectric material has a permittivity value, which is a measure of an electric polarisation of the dielectric material. The electric field (308) that forms in the pathway (302) may result in a change in the permittivity within the pathway (302), whereby the pathway (302) exhibits different permittivity values due to the variation of the electric field (308) and not due to a metamaterial (104). Applying different voltage levels (306) to the electrodes (304) may mimic the effects of different materials by altering the effective permittivity of the space (302). The magnitude or change of the permittivity of the pathway (302) between the electrodes (304) is dependent on the applied differential voltage (306). A first electric field (308) may be formed when a first differential voltage V1+ and V1- is applied at the electrodes (304, 314). However, a second electric field that is different from the first electric field forms when a second differential voltage V2+ and V2- is applied, where the first and second voltage levels are different. The DSP (310) may control a value of a differential voltage level or multiple differential voltage levels at multiple electrodes along each plane of electrodes, such as a configuration with multiple opposing pairs of electrodes, such that different electric fields form and are modified simultaneously in different portions of the pathway (302) between each opposing pair of electrodes at the first and second planes. Each portion may be a part of the space formed between an electrode pair. The differential voltage levels may be a constant value applied continuously. Alternatively, the differential voltage level determined may be a time-varying value. The timevarying differential voltage value may change due to changes of the EM wave (102). The apparatus (300) may be positioned between an EM wave source and an EM wave receiver. The EM wave (102) from the EM wave source may pass through the pathway between the first planes and second plane of electrodes (304, 314) towards an EM wave receiver. In an embodiment of the placement of the apparatus, the apparatus may be aligned such that the planes of electrodes (304, 314) are parallel to a direction of travel of the EM wave (102). The electric field (308) in the pathway (302) may be perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102). The DSP (310) may be configured with a set of EM property sensors to measure properties of the EM wave (102). Such properties may include any of: a wavelength, an amplitude, a phase shift, a direction, or a frequency. The DSP module (310) may include a component to receive a signal from the EM wave source. The DSP module (310) may include a component to receive a signal from the EM wave receiver. The DSP (310) may receive signals from the EM wave source relating to the EM properties of the EM wave (102) at the source. Likewise, the DSP (310) may receive signals from the EM wave receiver relating to EM properties of the EM wave (102) at the receiver. A three-dimensional illustration of the apparatus is shown in Figure 4, including; a pair of electrodes (404) at two opposing planes, a pathway (402) between the planes of electrodes, an internal electric field (408), and EM waves (102) from the EM wave source which may be directed to the EM wave receiver (412). The interaction of the EM waves (102) and the electric field (408) may be a combination of constructive or destructive interference. As a result, the receiver (412), which may be an RF energy harvester, may receive EM waves that are focused and concentrated by the apparatus according to the desired requirements. The formation of an electric field (408) may change the permittivity properties of the pathway (402) between the electrodes, thereby affecting any external EM waves (102) passing through the pathway between. The apparatus may include multiple pairs of electrodes and voltage sources that are simultaneously controlled by the DSP, creating a complex arrangement of electric fields between the individual portions of the pathway between each plane of electrodes. The arrangement of electrodes and electric fields may focus the EM waves for a desired application. Applications may include; EM beam steering and shaping, polarization control, cloaking and invisibility, sensing and detection, and imaging and microscopy. As the electric fields do not have static permittivity properties, the pairs of electrodes may form a programmable pathway of electric fields with varying EM properties by controlling the differential voltage levels across the electrodes through the DSP. Figure 5A illustrates a conventional one-dimensional metamaterial, which may include alternating layers of a material with multiple layers of a first permittivity (502) and multiple layers of a second permittivity (504). These layers may be repeated and may be of varying thicknesses, depending on the application and requirements of the metamaterial. The layers are arranged such that the permittivity changes in the first axis only that is parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102), the x direction in Figure 5A. The permittivity remains constant in the other y direction, perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102). Therefore, this material exhibits fractionality along one axis only, the x axis. As an EM wave (102) travels through the materials (502, 504), each layer will affect the EM wave different, resulting in different amounts of reflection, refraction, and absorption of the EM wave. A material exhibits fractionality when the permittivity changes when moving along the material in a specific direction or axis. Therefore, when moving along the x direction, the permittivity changes from the first permittivity (502) to the second permittivity (504). The permittivity does not change when moving along the y direction. Figure 5B illustrates a conventional two-dimensional metamaterial, similar to that of Figure 5A, where the metasurface may include alternating layers of a first metamaterial (506) and a second metamaterial (508) in the y and z direction of Figure 5B. Similar to Figure 5A, the EM wave direction of travel is along the x axis. The metamaterial may include two or more materials with different material properties. Therefore, an EM wave (102) may be affected by the metamaterial in two-dimensions, both perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102) and perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the conventional two-dimensional metamaterial exhibits fractionality along two axes only in Figure 5B. An example embodiment of the apparatus exhibiting fractionality in one direction only is shown in Figure 6. The fractionality is exhibited in a first direction parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave by placing a plurality of electrodes along the first direction on the two planes that run parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave. The embodiment mimics the behaviour of the metamaterial in Figure 5A, whereby EM wave (102) is manipulated and focused by an electric field (610, 611) through a pathway between at least two planes of electrodes (602, 614, 618, 619) in different layers. A first layer (604) may include an electrode pair, whereas a second layer (606) may not include an electrode pair. The two planes which may include electrodes (602, 614, 618, 619) may be arranged such that the planes are parallel to the first direction parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave and the electrodes are placed along the first direction. The first plane may include two electrodes (602, 614) and the second plane includes two electrodes (618, 619), where two opposing electrodes (602, 618) form a first pair of electrodes and where two opposing electrodes (614, 619) form a second pair of electrodes. The pathway between the planes may include a first portion (608) between the first pair of electrodes, a second portion (616) between the second pair of electrodes, and a portion of space where no electrodes are present (606). The apparatus may have various combinations of portions of the pathway, made up by a combination of electrode pairs or free space, or without any free space at all. The differential voltage levels across the electrodes, where the voltage level at the first electrode pair (602, 618) and the second electrode pair (614, 619) may be different. The voltage applied to each pair of electrodes may be controlled by the DSP. The EM wave (102) may be focused towards a receiver (612) by changing the differential voltage at the electrode pairs. The differential voltage applied to the electrodes, and the resulting electric fields (610, 611) that are created, may change the permittivity in different portions (608,616) of the pathway. The effect that the electric field (610) in a first portion (608) of the pathway has on the EM wave (102) may be different to that of the electric field (611) within a second portion (616) due to the different electrode pair voltage levels (i.e. V1+ may not be equal to V2+). The permittivity through the first portion (608) and the second portion (616) may be different from that of the portion between them (606). The configuration of the electrode pairs mimics the layered structure of Figure 5A. The combination of the electric fields in both portions of the pathway may mimic the behaviour of a metasurface, resulting in constructive and destructive interaction with the EM wave (102) by means of reflection and transmission of the EM wave (102). The voltage at the first layer (604) may be changed from a first voltage V1+, to a second voltage V2+. Therefore, the same portion (608) may exhibit two different effective permittivity values due to a change of the voltage applied at the electrical conductors (602). This is not possible with a physical metasurface or single material and allows the apparatus to be programmable in nature. An example embodiment of the apparatus exhibiting fractionality in two directions is shown in Figure 7, mimicking the behaviour of the metamaterial in Figure 5B. The embodiment in figure 7 exhibits fractionality in two directions perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102) and perpendicular to each other, in the y and z axis respectively. This may be along the length of the plane (y axis) and in the direction perpendicular to the planes (z axis). The apparatus may include a third plane (704) and a fourth plane (705). The third plane (704) and the fourth plane (705) may be arranged in parallel and apart from the first plane (702) and the second plane (703). Each plane may include a plurality of electrodes. An electrode on a plane may form an electrode pair (720, 722) with an opposing electrode on an opposing plane. In the embodiment of Figure 7, the planes are positioned in the x-y axis, and the individual planes are spaced apart from each other in the z axis. The fractionality is formed in the y direction by a plurality of electrodes arranged along the axis extending in the y direction, and in the z direction by pairs of opposing electrodes on the different planes. The EM wave (102) direction of travel is parallel to the x direction. When in use, the apparatus may, via the DSP (709), determine a current state of the EM wave (102). The DSP (709) may determine a differential voltage level value that each voltage source outputs to each electrode pair (720, 722). The different voltage levels may result in different electrical fields forming in different portions of the pathway between the electrode pairs. The electrodes within a single plane may have different differential voltage levels, thereby inducing different electric fields along that single plane. This creates a varying permittivity field along a second direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102), such as along the y axis. The electrode pairs between the first (702) and second plane (703), second (703) and third plane (704), and third (704) and fourth plane (705), may have different differential voltage levels, thereby inducing different electric fields between planes. This may create a varying permittivity field along a third direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102) and perpendicular to the second direction along the length of the planes, in the z axis. A further embodiment of the apparatus may include on a single opposing pair of electrodes on each plane, resulting in fractionality along the z axis only when more than two planes are present. The apparatus may include more than one electrode in the first direction (x axis) parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave (102), as well as including multiple planes and multiple electrode pairs along each plane, resulting in fractionality in three directions, such as that of Figure 9. It is appreciated that the apparatus configured to exhibit fractionality in all three directions, can exhibit fractionality in either one, two or three directions merely by determining a specific set of differential voltage levels. In a further embodiment, the third and fourth planes may be parallel and apart from one another, but perpendicular to the first and second planes. An illustration of this embodiment is shown in Figure 8A and 8B. The embodiment exhibits fractionality in two directions. Each horizontal electrode is labelled “a” and each vertical electrode is labelled “b”. Each electrode features a two-part subscript numbering system, such that the first subscript number indicates the row, and the second number indicates the column The first plane may include electrodes b11, b21 and b31, and the second plane may include b12, b22 and b32. The third plane may include electrodes a11, a12 and a13, and the fourth plane may include electrodes a21, a22 and a23. Within this embodiment, a portion of the pathway may have an electric field that forms due to two different pairs of electrodes, or the two pairs may work together in creating a complex electric field. For example, both electrode pairs a11 - a21 and b11 - b12 can create an electric field within the same portion of the pathway. The DSP may determine the required combination of electric fields for the portion of the pathway. Figure 8A shows a first example of a combination of electric fields forming a non-homogenous field across the pathway, and Figure 8B shows a second example of a combination of electric fields. An electric field is illustrated by a dotted square in each figure. The same apparatus may form each field as shown in Figure 8A and 8B merely by adjusting the differential voltage levels at each electrode. Figure 9 illustrates a further exemplary arrangement of electrodes to achieve fractionality in three directions. The electrodes may be oriented in all three axes to achieve a fully three-dimensional structure. By applying a combination of differential voltages across the electrodes, a combination of differing electrical fields can be created, mimicking different metasurfaces through a single apparatus. The combination of electrical fields illustrated in Figure 9 illustrates a Menger sponge arrangement. The resulting set of electric fields formed in all three directions exhibits fractionality in the first direction parallel to the direction of travel of the EM wave, in the second direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave, and in the third direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the EM wave and perpendicular to the second direction. The application of electric fields may be determined such that the apparatus of Figure 9 may exhibits fractionality properties in either one, two, or three dimensions. The apparatus may include electrodes in a fifth plane and a sixth plane. The fifth and sixth plane may be parallel and apart from each other. The fifth and sixth plane may be perpendicular to the first, second, third and fourth planes. In an example embodiment of the apparatus in Figure 9, the first and second plane may be in the x-y direction, the third and fourth plane in the y-z direction, and the fifth and sixth plane in the x-z direction. The DSP may control a differential voltage applied to pairs of electrodes formed on opposing electrodes on the fifth and sixth planes. An electric field may form between the electrode pairs on the fifth and sixth planes. The electrode pairs on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth planes may form cube or rectangular structure. Figure 10 shows an example embodiment where electric fields are produced diagonally between electrodes. The example embodiment features four electrodes (1022,1024,1026,1028) that may have a unique differential voltage applied to each individual electrode. The differential voltage applied to each electrode may induce EM fields between directly opposing electrodes on opposing planes, such as: electric field 1012 between the electrodes 1022 and 1024, electric field 1013 between the electrodes 1024 and 1028, electric field 1014 between the electrodes 1026 and 1028, electric field 1015 between the electrodes 1022 and 1026. Additionally, diagonal electric fields (1016, 1017) may also be generated, with electric field 1016 between the electrodes 1022 and 1028, and electric field 1017 between electrodes 1024 and 1026. The diagonal electric fields may be created between two electrodes on different opposing planes, where the electrical field formed between the two electrodes is not perpendicular to the planes. The embodiments described above are not limited to the six different planes as described. The apparatus may include a plurality of planes in each direction, creating a three-dimensional structure that may form electric fields in three dimensions, as well as a plurality of diagonal electric fields formed by electrodes on opposing planes and where the electric fields are not at right angles to the planes. The electrodes of the apparatus may be attached to a supporting frame or housing keeping the arrangement of electrodes in position relative to each other. An embodiment of the DSP module may be a computer apparatus, which may include hardware and software components for carrying out the steps as described above. Figure 11 illustrates an example of a computing device (1100) in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented, such as the DSP. The computing device (1100) may be embodied as any form of data processing device including a personal computing device (e.g. laptop or desktop computer), a server computer (which may be self-contained, physically distributed over a number of locations), a client computer, or a communication device, such as a mobile phone (e.g. cellular telephone), satellite phone, tablet computer, personal digital assistant or the like. Different embodiments of the computing device may dictate the inclusion or exclusion of various components or subsystems described below. The computing device (1100) may be suitable for storing and executing computer program code. The various participants and elements in the previously described system diagrams may use any suitable number of subsystems or components of the computing device (1100) to facilitate the functions described herein. The computing device (1100) may include subsystems or components interconnected via a communication infrastructure (1105) (for example, a communications bus, a network, etc.). The computing device (1100) may include one or more processors (1110) and at least one memory component in the form of computer-readable media. The one or more processors (1110) may include one or more of: CPUs, graphical processing units (GPUs), microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and the like. In some configurations, a number of processors may be provided and may be arranged to carry out calculations simultaneously. In some implementations various subsystems or components of the computing device (1100) may be distributed over a number of physical locations (e.g. in a distributed, cluster or cloud-based computing configuration) and appropriate software units may be arranged to manage and / or process data on behalf of remote devices. The memory components may include system memory (1115), which may include read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). A basic input / output system (BIOS) may be stored in ROM. System software may be stored in the system memory (1115) including operating system software. The memory components may also include secondary memory (1120). The secondary memory (1120) may include a fixed disk (1121), such as a hard disk drive, and, optionally, one or more storage interfaces (1122) for interfacing with storage components (1123), such as removable storage components (e.g. magnetic tape, optical disk, flash memory drive, external hard drive, removable memory chip, etc.), network attached storage components (e.g. NAS drives), remote storage components (e.g. cloud-based storage) or the like. The computing device (1100) may include an external communications interface (1130) for operation of the computing device (1100) in a networked environment enabling transfer of data between multiple computing devices (1100) and / or the Internet. Data transferred via the external communications interface (1130) may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, radio, or other types of signal. The external communications interface (1130) may enable communication of data between the computing device (1100) and other computing devices including servers and external storage facilities. Web services may be accessible by and / or from the computing device (1100) via the communications interface (1130). The external communications interface (1130) may be configured for connection to wireless communication channels (e.g., a cellular telephone network, wireless local area network (e.g. using Wi-Fi™), satellite-phone network, Satellite Internet Network, etc.) and may include an associated wireless transfer element, such as an antenna and associated circuitry. The computer-readable media in the form of the various memory components may provide storage of computer-executable instructions, data structures, program modules, software units and other data. A computer program product may be provided by a computer-readable medium having stored computer-readable program code executable by the central processor (1110). A computer program product may be provided by a non-transient or non-transitory computer-readable medium, or may be provided via a signal or other transient or transitory means via the communications interface (1130). Interconnection via the communication infrastructure (1105) allows the one or more processors (1110) to communicate with each subsystem or component and to control the execution of instructions from the memory components, as well as the exchange of information between subsystems or components. Peripherals (such as printers, scanners, cameras, or the like) and input / output (I / O) devices (such as a mouse, touchpad, keyboard, microphone, touch-sensitive display, input buttons, speakers and the like) may couple to or be integrally formed with the computing device (1100) either directly or via an I / O controller (1135). One or more displays (1145) (which may be touch-sensitive displays) may be coupled to or integrally formed with the computing device (1100) via a display or video adapter (1140). The foregoing description has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure. The language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention to be set forth in any accompanying claims. Finally, throughout the specification and any accompanying claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word ‘comprise’ or variations such as ‘comprises’ or ‘comprising’ will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating electromagnetic radiation emitted by an electromagnetic wave source and received by an electromagnetic wave receiver, the method comprising the steps of:5 providing an apparatus which includes one or more opposing pairs of electrodes with eachpair of electrodes being provided in parallel spaced apart first and second planes, with a first electrode of each pair of electrodes being provided on the first plane and a second electrode of each pair of electrodes being provided on the second plane, and which includes a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to control differential voltage levels of each of the pairs of electrodes;10 positioning the apparatus between the electromagnetic wave source and theelectromagnetic wave receiver so that electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source travels through a pathway between the first and second planes;by means of the DSP, controlling the differential voltage levels of each of the pairs of electrodes so as to modify an electric field in the pathway between the first and second planes, 15 wherein the electric field forms in a portion of the pathway between each of the one or more pairs of electrodes, and interacts with and manipulates the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source through constructive or destructive interference so as to direct or concentrate the electromagnetic radiation received at the electromagnetic wave receiver.20 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second planes are arranged inparallel to a direction of travel of the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that the electric field in the pathway is at right angles to the direction of travel.25 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which multiple pairs of electrodes areprovided, and the method includes separately controlling the differential voltage levels of each pair of electrodes to modify the electric field differently in different portions of the pathway between the first and second planes.30 4. The method as claimed any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more pairsof electrodes are arranged so that the electric field in the pathway induces a change in a permittivity in the pathway along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a second axis extending at right angles to the first axis.

355. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the one or more pairs of electrodes are arranged so that the electric field in the pathway induces a change in a permittivity19 06 25in the pathway along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel.5 6. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatusincludes one or more pairs of electrodes being provided in parallel spaced apart third and fourth planes, and the DSP controls the differential voltage level of each of the pairs of electrodes.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the third plane is parallel to the second plane 10 and spaced apart from the second plane, and the fourth plane is parallel to the third plane and spaced apart from the third plane, wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are provided in the second and third planes, and wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are provided in the third and fourth planes, the pairs of electrodes forming pathways between the second and third planes and the third and fourth planes such that the electric field forms between each of the pairs of 15 electrodes in different portions of the pathways, and induces a change in the permittivity in the pathways along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the planes and perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second planes are parallel and 20 spaced apart to each other, the third and fourth planes are parallel and spaced apart to each other, and the third and fourth plane are perpendicular to the first and second planes.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes one or more pairs of electrodes with each pair of electrodes being provided in parallel spaced apart fifth and sixth 25 planes, where the fifth plane and sixth plane are perpendicular to each of the first, second, third, and fourth planes, such that all six planes form a cube like formation, and the DSP controls the differential voltage level of each of the pairs of electrodes.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the differential voltage level applied to each of 30 the pairs of electrodes forms the electric field between each of the one or more pairs of electrodes in a pathway between the planes, where the permittivity in the pathway changes along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the 35 electromagnetic radiation direction of travel and perpendicular to the second axis.19 06 2511. An apparatus for manipulating electromagnetic radiation emitted by an electromagnetic wave source and received by an electromagnetic wave receiver, comprising:one or more opposing pairs of electrodes with each pair of electrodes provided in parallel spaced apart first and second planes, with a first electrode of each pair of electrodes being 5 provided on the first plane and a second electrode of each pair of electrodes being provided on the second plane; and,a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to control differential voltage levels of each of the pairs of electrodes,wherein the apparatus is configured to be positioned between the electromagnetic wave 10 source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source travels through a pathway between the first and second planes;and wherein the DSP is configured to control the differential voltage levels of each of the pairs of electrodes so as to modify an electric field in the pathway between the first plane and the second plane, wherein the electric field forms in a portion of the pathway between each of the 15 one or more pairs of electrodes, and interacts with and manipulates the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source through constructive or destructive interference so as to direct or concentrate the electromagnetic radiation received at the electromagnetic wave receiver.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second planes are arranged 20 in parallel to a direction of travel of the electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver so that the electric field in the pathway is at right angles to the direction of travel.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the DSP is configured to 25 separately control the differential voltage levels of each pair of electrodes to modify the electric field differently in different portions of the pathway between the first and second planes.

14. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the one or more pairs of electrodes are arranged such that when an electric field is present between the electrode pairs, 30 a permittivity in the pathway changes along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a second axis extending at right angles to the first axis.

15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the one or more pairs 35 of electrodes are arranged such that the electric field in the pathway induces a change in a permittivity in the pathway along a second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to19 06 25the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and the permittivity does not change along a first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel.

16. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, including one or more pairs of 5 electrodes provided in parallel spaced apart third and fourth planes, and the DSP is configured to control the differential voltage levels of each of the pairs of electrodes.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the third plane is configured parallel to the second plane and spaced apart from the second plane, and the fourth plane is configured parallel 10 to the third plane, wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are arranged in the second and third planes, and wherein one or more pairs of electrodes are arranged in the third and fourth planes, the pairs of electrodes configured to form pathways between the second and third planes and the third and fourth planes such that the electric field forms between each of the pairs of electrodes in different portions of the pathways, and induces a change in the permittivity in the pathways 15 along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the planes and perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first and second planes are configured parallel and spaced apart to each other, the third and fourth planes are configured parallel and 20 spaced apart to each other, and the third and fourth plane are perpendicular to the first and second plane.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the apparatus includes one or more pairs of electrodes with each pair of electrodes being provided in parallel spaced apart fifth and sixth 25 planes, where the fifth plane and sixth plane are configured perpendicular to the first, second, third, and fourth planes, such that all planes form a cube like formation, and the DSP is configured to control the differential voltage levels of each of the plurality of electrodes.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein when the differential voltage is applied to 30 each of the pairs of electrodes, the electric field forms between each of the pairs of electrodes in a pathway between the planes, where a permittivity in the pathway changes along the first axis extending through the pathway parallel to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, along the second axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the electromagnetic radiation direction of travel, and along a third axis extending through the pathway perpendicular to the 35 electromagnetic radiation direction of travel and perpendicular to the second axis.

21. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 20, wherein the electromagnetic wave source and the electromagnetic wave receiver transfer power via radiative power transfer.

22. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 21, wherein a supporting frame 5 structure is configured to hold the one or more pairs of electrodes in a pre-configured arrangement relative to each other.

23. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 22, wherein the pathway between the electrode pairs includes a dielectric medium.

024. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 23, wherein the electrodes of a pair of electrodes are each of elongate form with opposing faces, the opposing faces being parallel and spaced apart from one another.

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