Abstract: A device for washing, sanitizing, and/or sterilizing an item is disclosed. The device may comprise a solution applicator for coating a surface of said item with a washing, sanitizing and/or sterilizing solution. The device may also comprise a heating unit for heating the solution coated on the surface of said item to a working temperature. The device may further comprise a control unit for keeping the temperature of the treating substance at the working temperature for a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: An electromagnetic heater for heating an irregularly shaped object, including: a cavity within which an object is to be placed; at least one feed which feeds UHF or microwave energy into the cavity; and a controller that controls one or more characteristics of the cavity or energy to assure that the UHF or microwave energy is deposited uniformly in the object within ±30% over at least 80% of the volume of the object.

Abstract: An apparatus for exciting a rotating field pattern in a cavity containing an object, the apparatus comprising a radiating element configured to excite an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern in the cavity, wherein the EM field pattern is excited with EM energy at a frequency in the radio-frequency (RF) range, a field rotating element configured to rotate the EM field pattern, wherein the field rotating element has an anisotropy, the anisotropy selected from magnetic anisotropy, electric anisotropy, and a combination of magnetic and electric anisotropies, and a controller configured to determine the EM field pattern according to value indicative of energy absorbable by the object and to control the anisotropy of the field rotating element in order to rotate the EM field pattern.

Abstract: A clothes dryer includes a cavity adapted to receive at least one item of clothing, at least one RF feed which feeds RF energy into the cavity, and a spectral imaging module adapted to provide a spectral image comprising input efficiency to the cavity as a function of frequency. A controller controls one or more characteristics of the RF energy to heat a liquid within and/or on fibers of the at least one item of clothing, in which the controller reduces amounts of energy directed to problem areas in the spectral image.

Abstract: A method of drying an object comprising, providing an object into an RF cavity; applying broadband RF energy to the object in controlled manner which keeps the object within a desired temporal temperature schedule and within a desired spatial profile; and terminating the drying when it is at least estimated that a desired drying level is achieved.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, kits, and systems relating to applying electromagnetic energy to an object located at least partially in an energy application zone are disclosed. Some apparatuses may include a processor configured to determine a preliminary amount of energy to be dissipated in the object and determine a corrected amount of energy based on the preliminary amount of energy and calibration information. The processor may be further configured to cause a source to transfer energy to the energy application zone and determine an amount of delivered energy, based on an amount of energy returned from the energy application zone and an amount of energy supplied to the energy application zone. The processor may also be configured to cause the source to transfer energy to the energy application zone at least until the amount of delivered energy equals the corrected amount of energy.

Abstract: A method of delivering energy to an object in a cavity may include transmitting electromagnetic energy to the cavity at a plurality of frequencies. At each of the plurality of frequencies, the method may also include determining an efficiency of energy transfer into the object and adjusting power transmitted at each of the plurality of frequencies such that a multiplicative product of the efficiency and the power transmitted is substantially constant across each of the plurality of frequencies.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, kits, and systems relating to transferring electromagnetic energy to an energy application zone via a source of electromagnetic energy are disclosed. Some apparatuses may include a processor configured to determine a preliminary amount of energy to be dissipated in an object located at least partially in the energy application zone and determine a corrected amount of energy based on the preliminary amount of energy and calibration information. The processor may be further configured to estimate an amount of energy dissipated in the object. The processor may also be configured to cause the source to transfer energy to the energy application zone at least until the energy dissipated in the object as estimated equals the corrected amount of energy.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of freezing a body or a portion thereof. The method comprises exposing at least a part of the body to a coolant having a temperature below the freezing point of the body, and at the same time operating an electromagnetic heater, as to maintain the at least part of the body at a temperature above its freezing point; and reducing the electromagnetic heating to allow the at least a part of the body to freeze. The electromagnetic heater comprises a resonator, and the heated part of the body is heated inside the resonator.

Abstract: A system for forest fire control comprising a plurality of forest fire control nodes. Each node is comprised of one or move detection means of an environmental condition. Each node is also comprised of at least one communication transceiver for sending and receiving data indicative of a sensed environmental condition, and of at least one hanging unit configured for hanging the node on a tree.

Abstract: A method of heating and/or thawing using an RF heater is described. In some cases the heating differentially heats portions according to their dissipation ratios. Optionally, this avoids dissipating large amounts of energy into thawed portions while frozen portions are still extant and heat slowly. Optionally, this prevents overheating of thawed potions.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying radio frequency (RF) energy to an object in an energy application zone. At least one processor may be configured to cause RF energy to be applied at a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns to the object in the energy application zone. The processor may be further configured to determine an amount of power dissipated in the energy application zone, for each of the plurality of field patterns. The processor may also be configured to determine a spatial distribution of energy absorption characteristics across at least a portion of the energy application zone based on the amounts of power dissipated when the plurality of field patterns are applied to the energy application zone.

Abstract: A method of heating and/or thawing using an RF heater is described. In some cases the heating differentially heats portions according to their dissipation ratios. Optionally, this avoids dissipating large amounts of energy into thawed portions while frozen portions are still extant and heat slowly. Optionally, this prevents overheating of thawed portions.

Abstract: A device for washing, sanitizing, and/or sterilizing an item is disclosed. The device may comprise a solution applicator for coating a surface of said item with a washing, sanitizing and/or sterilizing solution. The device may also comprise a heating unit for heating the solution coated on the surface of said item to a working temperature. The device may further comprise a control unit for keeping the temperature of the treating substance at the working temperature for a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an object in an energy application zone. At least one processor may be configured to acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone. The processor may be further configured to determine a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns each having a known electromagnetic field intensity distribution and cause the source to supply each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns to the energy application zone at the determined weights.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for applying EM energy to a load. The apparatuses and methods may include at least one processor configured to receive information indicative of energy dissipated by the load for each of a plurality of modulation space elements. The processor may also be configured to associate each of the plurality of modulation space elements with a corresponding time duration of power application, based on the received information. The processor may be further configured to regulate energy applied to the load such that for each of the plurality of modulation space elements, power is applied to the load at the corresponding time duration of power application.

Abstract: Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying RF energy to an object, including at least one slower-scanning, frequency source and at least one faster-scanning frequency source, and a controller which sweeps a range of frequencies using the faster-scanning source to measure RF absorption and controls the slower-scanning frequency source based on the sweep.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying electromagnetic energy in a radio frequency (RF) range to an object in an energy application zone via at least one radiating element. At least one processor may be configured to determine locations of a first region and a second region in the energy application zone. In addition, the processor may be configured to regulate a source in order to apply a first predetermined amount of RF energy to the first region in the energy application zone and a second predetermined amount of RF energy to the second region in the energy application zone. The first predetermined amount of energy may be different from the second predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying EM energy to a load may include at least one processor configured to receive information indicative of dissipated energy for each of a plurality of modulation space elements and group a number of the plurality of modulations space elements into at least two subsets based on the information received indicative of dissipated energy. The processor may also be configured to associate a power delivery protocol with each of the at least two subsets wherein the power delivery protocol differs between subsets and regulate energy applied to the load in accordance with each power delivery protocol.