Microchip has plans to release a demo kit for around $150 USD that displays the uses of intelligent control in mechanical devices. What's interesting is that the demo kit seems to come with a stepper motor, a brushed motor, LCD display, temp sensor, light sensor, switches, leds, 2 POTs, and source code examples (using the  MPLAB IDE). But you would need your own PIC programmer. You can buy a programmer or build your own

Example projects listed in the description:
Nine example projects with complete source code:
• Switch debouncing and lighting an LED
• How to read an analog sensor (temperature and light)
• Brushed DC motor speed control
• Speed feedback: Back EMF and optical
• Stepper motor control: single-stepping, half-stepping and micro-stepping
• How to use the USART for RS-232 communication
• How to use the Capture, Compare and PWM module
• How to use comparators


Sounds like a great way to get into PIC programming for robotics. Not too expensive either, I may pick one up when they are released.