This work collects some 47 research papers that were presented in June 1997 at the 2nd Online World Conference on Soft Computing. It covers the state-of-the-art techniques and applications of soft computing which will stimulate further advances towards the next generation of intelligent machines. The papers are organized into eight sections which cover areas such as genetic algorithms, engineering design, manufacturing and robotics. The book's main focus, though, is on the existence and interaction of fuzzy, neural and evolutionary computing techniques which, though quite different from each other, can work well together when building intelligent systems. This work should be of interest to graduate students and researchers involved in soft computing. It should also be useful to those in related industrial environments.