Rapid advancements in the application of soft computing tools and techniques have proven valuable in the development of highly scalable systems and resulted in brilliant applications, including those in biometric identification, interactive voice response systems, and data mining. Although many resources on the subject adequately cover the theoretic concepts, few provide clear insight into practical application. Filling this need, Real Life Applications of Soft Computing explains such applications, including the underlying technology and its implementation. While these systems initially seem complex, the authors clearly demonstrate how they can be modeled, designed, and implemented. Written in a manner that makes it accessible to novices, the book begins by covering the theoretical foundations of soft computing. It supplies a concise explanation of various models, principles, algorithms, tools, and techniques, including artificial neural networks, fuzzy systems, evolutionary algorithms, and hybrid algorithms. Supplying in-depth exposure to real life systems, the text provides: Multi-dimensional coverage supported by references, figures, and tables Warnings about common pitfalls in the implementation process, as well as detailed examinations of possible solutions A timely account of developments in various areas of application Solved examples and exercises in each chapter Detailing a wide range of contemporary applications, the text includes coverage of those in biometric systems, including physiological and behavioral biometrics. It also examines applications in legal threat assessment, robotic path planning, and navigation control. The authors consider fusion methods in biometrics and bioinformatics and also provide effective disease identification techniques. Complete with algorithms for robotic path planning, the book addresses character recognition and presents the picture compression technique by using a customized hybrid algorithm. The authors conclude with a discussion of parallel architecture for artificial neural networks and supply guidelines for creating and implementing effective soft computing designs.