SoftBank’s $18B bet on robot guards

PLUS: Teleport to grandma's with this robot

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Jennifer Mossalgue, Rowan Cheung, Shubham Sharma & Zach Mink
October 19, 2026

Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. SoftBank wants robots to clock in — and is reportedly in early talks to buy Allied Universal, the biggest U.S. security firm, for up to $18B.

Masayoshi Son sees its guard posts as proving grounds for robots that could replace some staff. Allied would hand SoftBank a ready-made customer base, if the bots can earn their keep.

In today’s robotics rundown:

  • SoftBank weighs $18B robot guard grab

  • Your family’s next visit could be through a robot

  • Delivery robots hit with biometric lawsuits

  • Tiny robot takes on a giant sewage problem

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

SOFTBANK

Image source: Images 2.5 / The Rundown

The Rundown: SoftBank is reportedly in early talks to buy Allied Universal — America’s largest security-services company — at an equity value of up to $18B, with Masayoshi Son eyeing their guard posts as future robot jobs.

The details:

  • Allied is the largest U.S. security-guard firm, staffing offices, venues, events, and NYC’s subway, plus a growing data-center business.

  • Talks are preliminary, with no price agreed. Adding Allied’s ~$12B debt could reportedly push the total transaction to near $30B.

  • Son reportedly sees security as a test bed for robotics tech from SoftBank’s companies, and would eventually replace some staff with robots for security work.

  • Allied would sit alongside its agreement last year to buy ABB’s robotics business for $5.4B; recent SoftBank deals also include Gravis Robotics at $200M.

Why it matters: With around 770K employees across more than 100 countries, Allied could give SoftBank a vast customer network for future security robots. The idea is that robots will eventually become capable and reliable enough to take on some of that work, at a cost Allied’s clients are willing to pay.

PLIM ROBOTICS

Image source: Plim Robotics

The Rundown: Munich’s Devanthro renamed itself Plim Robotics and debuted its first home robot in the same move, a wheeled helper that does chores on its own until a relative thousands of miles away takes over, appearing face-first in its visor.

The details:

  • Plim says its autonomous mode handles household tasks and keeps people company.

  • Its “step-in” mode uses teleoperation: a person sees through the robot’s cameras, controls its movements, and speaks through it, with face on its visor.

  • It stands 5'5", weighs 176 lb., and rolls on a three-wheel omnidirectional base. It handles objects with two-finger grippers and runs on Nvidia’s Jetson Thor.

  • Plim advertises autonomous chores and 24/7 support, but lists two hours of battery runtime, with automatic docking to recharge.

Why it matters: Plim says it has been working in real homes since 2024, starting in elderly care, and is now pitching to both families and care organizations. On its website, bedtime stories from faraway loved ones share the spotlight with household chores, but it still comes without a price, delivery date, or published performance data.

DELIVERY BOTS

Image source: Coco Robotics

The Rundown: Two Chicago lawsuits are challenging what happens when the robot delivering dinner points its cameras at you, accusing Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics of collecting biometric data without consent.

The details:

  • The proposed class actions allege the robots scan customers’ faces and hands during pickups, with data retained for AI training and shared with third parties.

  • Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) generally requires written notice and consent before companies collect biometric identifiers.

  • Coco says it has collected no biometric data in Chicago, while Serve says its systems neither identify individuals nor create biometric profiles.

  • Chicago’s robot-delivery pilot expires in May 2027 unless officials intervene; a petition calling for a pause has attracted more than 4,600 signatures.

Why it matters: The cases could help define when a robot’s view on the street or at your doorstep becomes biometric collection subject to consent requirements. BIPA damages run $1K per negligent violation and $5K per reckless one, and a ruling against either company would apply to every delivery robot working Illinois sidewalks.

ROBOTS FOR GOOD

Image source: PIPEON / Images 2.5

The Rundown: European researchers are developing tiny robots that could navigate aging sewer networks and spot defects before they trigger costly sewage spills, as part of a $9M EU-funded effort, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The details:

  • PIPEON has nearly €8M — about $9M — in EU funding through Dec. 2028, according to the European Commission.

  • The small wheeled robots combine cameras, laser mapping, and acoustic sensors to inspect pipes that are difficult or dangerous for people to reach.

  • The project team also plans robotic arms that could clear blockages and install monitoring equipment, helping utilities address problems earlier.

  • The prototype shown here still used a game controller, and researchers estimate 2–3 years before robots can travel independently between manholes.

Why it matters: In January 2026, a collapsed sewer line outside Washington, D.C., dumped 240M+ gallons of raw wastewater into the Potomac, in one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history. The EPA estimates 23K–75K sewer overflows hit the U.S. every year, and robots that spot faults early could let utilities fix pipes before they fail.

QUICK HITS

Waymo is expanding into Canada through Toronto, starting with mapping and supervised autonomous testing ahead of an eventual public robotaxi service.

Ukraine reportedly carried out the world’s first drone aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier, using a hexacopter to rescue him from a position ground teams could not reach.

A Philadelphia woman was arrested after refusing police orders to stop blocking a delivery robot in protest over automation taking human workers’ jobs.

JPMorgan spent $5B of its $10B defense-tech budget in a year, including a stake in robot-factory startup Hadrian, and says it may raise the cap.

Unitree unveiled UniUni, a swarm control system that coordinates robot movements with real-time monitoring for large-scale performances and deployments.

David Reger, Germany’s newest billionaire, is betting his $7B Neura Robotics on humanoids, shared software, and “gyms” where machines learn workplace skills.

Honda demoed an avatar robot with dexterous, sensor-equipped hands designed to let people perform precise physical tasks remotely.

Influencer Jessica Tawil, paralyzed in a car accident at 16, shared an emotional video of herself taking assisted steps with a robotic exoskeleton for the first time in a decade.

NVIDIA expanded its partnerships with Mercedes-Benz and Volvo to advance driver assistance, automated parking, and future Level 4 autonomy.

NVIDIA’s new ASPIRE system lets robots improve their own code by learning from mistakes, succeeding in about 99% of simulated tests.

Researchers in China used a robot dog as a jungle pack mule to help document biodiversity in treacherous mountain forests, despite its limited battery life.

Fleet Robotics is developing autonomous robots that walk on magnetic feet to scrub ship hulls at sea, aiming to reduce fuel use and the spread of invasive species.

That's it for today!

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Rowan, Zach, Shubham, Jennifer, and Nate — The Rundown’s editorial team