Content in “Microcontrollers”

This is an electronics question that has little to do with robots. But this forum seems a good place to ask it anyway.

For an upcoming diy project, I am in need of some advice on integrated radio circuits. For my 93 yr old grandmother I hope to build a radio that can do this:

I think we need to get of our high horse here and let snyde remarks regarding our own elitism remain silent..

I have seen several comments here stating that a robot has to have brains to be a robot. Now, where is that rule written in stone? Does it have to run around on tabletops, using skid steering, detecting cereal boxes by IR or ultrasound, have blinking LEDs or follow black lines on a piece of cardboard to be a robot?

I have a couple of the axe023, and I was wondering about their full potential. Are they compatible with IR sensors? What else besides bumper switches and simple motors can you use them for? It would be fun to make a bunch of little robots.

I wanted to make a robot useing a microcontroller. But I have had trouble over time trying to program a microcontroller.

Would it bother anyone to write an article on programming a microcontroller?