Yank Technologies said its contactless wireless charger, MotherBox, landed FCC Part 18 certification. Yank introduced the automotive charging concept in 2017. MotherBox operates with a receiver and can charge multiple devices simultaneously. It’s Android and iOS-compatible and allows free movement of the devices being charged, said the company. Certification will help the company produce a high-power, scalable wireless charger for new industries, including the automotive market, it said.

Yank Technologies said its contactless wireless charger, MotherBox, landed FCC Part 18 certification. Yank introduced the automotive charging concept in 2017. MotherBox operates with a receiver and can charge multiple devices simultaneously. It’s Android and iOS-compatible and allows free movement of the devices being charged, said the company. Certification will help the company produce a high-power, scalable wireless charger for new industries, including the automotive market, it said.

The Commerce Department published its spring 2020 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security. The agenda includes a new mention of a rule to control “software” for the operation of “automated nucleic acid assemblers and synthesizers” capable of designing and building “functional genetic elements from digital sequence data.” BIS said the software can be used in the production of pathogens and toxins, with the potential for those to make their way into biological weapons if export controls on the software are lacking. The notice of proposed rulemaking, part of BIS’ effort to control emerging and foundational technologies (see 2005190052), will request industry comments about how the controls might affect “legitimate commercial or scientific applications.” BIS said it aims to issue the proposed rule this month.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its spring 2020 regulatory agenda for CBP. Among the few trade-related changes to the agenda from the fall (see 1911220038) is the return of continuing education requirements for customs brokers. The possible regulatory action was previously listed on CBP's agenda but relegated in recent years to the agency's list of "Long-Term Actions."

The House Appropriations Committee voted by voice Thursday to advance the Agriculture Subcommittee’s FY 2021 bill, which includes a major increase the Agriculture Department's rural broadband funding allocation. The panel urged USDA in a report on the measure to examine how it can address broadband mapping issues separate from the FCC and do more on precision agriculture and connectivity in tribal areas. House Appropriations also released its report on the Legislative Branch Subcommittee’s FY21 bill, which includes $91.4 million for the Copyright Office (see 2007070063).

The House Appropriations Committee voted by voice Thursday to advance the Agriculture Subcommittee’s FY 2021 bill, which includes a major increase the Agriculture Department's rural broadband funding allocation. The panel urged USDA in a report on the measure to examine how it can address broadband mapping issues separate from the FCC and do more on precision agriculture and connectivity in tribal areas. House Appropriations also released its report on the Legislative Branch Subcommittee’s FY21 bill, which includes $91.4 million for the Copyright Office (see 2007070063).

Public Knowledge, the National Hispanic Media Coalition and New America’s Open Technology Institute were among more than a dozen groups urging Congress to extend the 2.5 GHz tribal priority application window until Feb. 1, citing the “significant impact the COVID-19 crisis has had on American Indian Tribes.” Chairman Ajit Pai told lawmakers in June the commission is watching the window with an eye on extending it past the Aug. 3 end date (see 2006300084). The groups wrote House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., before a Wednesday hearing on the pandemic’s impact on tribes. Those communities “have faced significant hurdles to finishing their applications on time due to the COVID-19 crisis,” the groups said. They noted “the vast majority of application workshops were canceled, as were other forms of in-person outreach.” Surveys “of tribal lands to confirm maps have been difficult to complete, and requests for waivers based on survey data are time consuming due to the impacts of COVID-19,” the groups said. “Stay-at-home orders have delayed tribal decision making” and “an extension will not impact timely filers, nor the 2.5 GHz auction. All these obstacles are further aggravated by the lack of broadband access, basic telephone service, or reliable electric power on many tribal lands.”

The State Department approved potential military sales to five countries, ranging from $100 million to $3 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Tuesday. Under the proposed sales, Argentina would get 27 “M1126 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles” and related equipment, worth about $100 million, DSCA said. The prime contractor is General Dynamics Land Systems. A $2 billion sale to France would include three “E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft” and related equipment, DSCA said. The principal contractor is Northrop Grumman. The potential $2 billion sale to Indonesia includes eight “MV-22 Block C Osprey aircraft” and related equipment, the agency said. Bell Textron and Boeing are the prime contractors. The $380 million to Lithuania would include six “UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters” and related equipment, DSCA said. The principal contractors are Sikorsky Aircraft Company and General Electric. The potential $3 billion sale to Israel would include about 990 million gallons of petroleum-based products for aircraft and ground vehicles, DSCA said. The U.S. will select vendors based on a “competitive bid process,” the DSCA said.

Extend the 2.5 GHz tribal priority application window beyond Aug. 3, through February, Public Knowledge officials told an aide to FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. COVID-19 means “the vast majority of application workshops were canceled, as were other forms of in-person outreach,” surveys of tribal lands to confirm maps “have been difficult to complete, and requests for waivers based on survey data are time consuming” and “stay-at-home orders have delayed tribal decision making,” PK said Monday in docket 18-120.

CEO confidence improved to a score of 44 in Q2 from 34 in Q1, reported the Conference Board Thursday. A grade of more than 50 points reflects more positive than negative responses, it said. Canvassing for the Q2 survey was done mid-May through mid-June. “Amid historic unemployment, business growth challenges, a weak economic environment, and a pandemic that persists, it comes as no surprise that CEOs feel grim about the current lay of the land,” said the board. Only 10% said conditions are better than six months ago, though that was up from 5% in Q1, it said. Slightly more than 80% percent of CEOs said conditions are worse in their own industries, down from 92% last quarter, it said. Despite feeling bleak about the present, CEOs were more optimistic than in Q1 about the economic outlook for the next six months, it said. In Q2, 71% said they expect economic conditions to improve, compared with 50% last quarter, it said. Only 16% said they expect economic conditions will worsen, down from 44% in Q1.