Hello Everyone, I'm Bishop.

[BishopMG]

I'd like to say hello to your awesome somewhat whimsical and extremely informative community.
I've been browsing the forums, reading tutorials and guides posted here for the past three months and finally decided to make an account. (Although it took about 2 week for my account to start working? Not complaining but a bit odd.)
I'd also like to thank all the contributors for the time they spent posting the abundance of information on my now favorite subject. 

I've successfully build a version of the 50$ robot, using infrared sensors instead of the original photo-resistors, and an H-bridge IC running DC motors instead of modifying the servos.  And the more I read about the world of uControllers and electronics the more interested I got, officially I have no degrees or training in anything related to electronics so my knowledge is limited to Highschool ed. and my hobby, however I am very familiar with a number of programming lang. (good ol. Pascal, some Fortran, VB, and limited C/C++) and in general love computers and all related to them.

I'd like to ask the experienced woodoo masters of SoR to please enlighten me on a few matters, forgive me if they seem basic but as I mentioned some areas I'm very new to and have a somewhat dilettantish approach:

1. I've so far only used Arduino Uno as a microcontroller, I'd like to learn using things such as 555timers and other IC to make simple circuits - where do I begin? 555 seem a bit complex when I read about them, what options do I have?
2. Is it possible to use infrared Leds + Ir (transistor?/photoresistor?) for short distance (5-15 cm) communication without amplifiers? or would the current/voltage change generated by the receiver not be enough to communicate more or less securely(between lets say 2 microcontrollers)?
3. I'd like to learn more about radiowaves and radio circuits - where to begin (preferably simple and least expensive plz)?

Now I have two projects in mind and would like to both hear your thoughts about them and any advice you can offer.

Artificial "Learning" Database or ALDy
The Idea is to first feed a dictionary into a program so it can identify Adj, Verbs, Pronouns and so fourth. Then Create a simple algorithm to simulate "learning" from information being fed into the program in a way that it is able to produce a coherent answer to a properly asked question about the information that was fed into it.

My version of a 50$ robot Upgrade
I'd like to equip my little bot with a video cam and a arm/finger/actuator. There's plenty of info on the cam upgrade how-to (although any additional links with cheap components are appreciated), but the arm I'm interested in needs to be a bit more of a complex design (I'd like to have the "grabber" have positions where it can press a button as if with a finger and lift different types of shapes and objects) so any info or links or ideas about construction of such will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading all of it (i just kept on typing...)
Sincerely
Bishop 

[WaterPig Master]

1. I've so far only used Arduino Uno as a microcontroller, I'd like to learn using things such as 555timers and other IC to make simple circuits - where do I begin? 555 seem a bit complex when I read about them, what options do I have?
2. Is it possible to use infrared Leds + Ir (transistor?/photoresistor?) for short distance (5-15 cm) communication without amplifiers? or would the current/voltage change generated by the receiver not be enough to communicate more or less securely(between lets say 2 microcontrollers)?
3. I'd like to learn more about radiowaves and radio circuits - where to begin (preferably simple and least expensive plz)?

555 timers can seem complex, but they're really not. Don't worry too much about their internals yet., but get a copy of the datasheet of the web. Look over the various schematics and try them all out.

It is entirely possible to use IREDs and phototransistors to communicate between MCUs, but that is a more advanced project. Get familiar with MCUs communicating on the same board first, using a serial protocol like I2C. Once you're familiar with these, you can start to apply it to wireless communications.

RF is not my thing, you'll have to get someone else's advice about that.

For the artificial learning — look at AI-class. It's a free, online Stanford AI undergrad course. It is EXCELLENT. It will teach you many, many things about how to make computer systems think, and will ctainly give you tips on how to the learning DB you're planning.

Good luck!
Barnaby