Abstract: A cognitive function evaluation device includes: an obtainment unit that obtains utterance data indicating a voice of an evaluatee uttering a sentence as instructed; a calculation unit that calculates, from the utterance data obtained by the obtainment unit, a feature based on the utterance data; an evaluation unit that compares the feature calculated by the calculation unit to reference data indicating a relationship between voice data indicating a voice of a person and a cognitive function of the person to evaluate the cognitive function of the evaluatee; and an output unit that outputs the sentence to be uttered by the evaluatee and outputs a result of evaluation by the evaluation unit.

Abstract: An exhaust system for a marine propulsion outboard drive wherein the exhaust gases are normally discharged to the atmosphere at a point below the level of the body of water in which the watercraft is operating. A catalyst bed is provided in the exhaust system and the catalyst bed is protected from damage by precluding the flow of water in the exhaust conduit to the catalyst bed in response to certain conditions. These conditions may be either rapid deceleration of the engine or watercraft, stopping of the engine, or any of a combination of sensed factors. The water is precluded either by purging it through air pressure or from generating heat in the exhaust conduit, by providing a heat source in the exhaust conduit that will cause water to vaporize and increase the pressure or by a valve in the exhaust conduit positioned below the catalytic bed. The preclusion of water is initiated for only a predetermined time or until the sensed condition no longer is existent.