Abstract: An electrodeionization apparatus has a cathode and an anode, and has alternately formed therebetween concentrating chambers and desalination chambers by alternately arranging a plurality of anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes, each of the concentrating chambers being provided with a bipolar membrane to partition the interior of the concentrating chamber into a cathode side and an anode side, and each of the desalination chambers being divided into at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, from an upstream side in a direction of flow of water to be treated, and being filled with an ion exchanger comprising an anion exchanger and a cation exchanger. The ion exchanger filling the first layer contains no less than 50 vol % of the cation exchanger, while the ion exchanger filling the second layer contains over 50 vol % to 80 vol % of the anion exchanger.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis membrane that can maintain high permeability for a longer time, a reverse osmosis membrane apparatus, and a hydrophilic treatment method for a reverse osmosis membrane. A reverse osmosis membrane to which poly(vinyl alcohol) is absorbed, wherein the poly(vinyl alcohol) is an ionic poly(vinyl alcohol). Preferably, adsorption of a cationic PVA to the reverse osmosis membrane is followed by adsorption of an anionic PVA. More preferably, an ionic polymer other than PVA is also absorbed to the reverse osmosis membrane. A reverse osmosis membrane apparatus including the reverse osmosis membrane. A hydrophilic treatment method for a reverse osmosis membrane, involving bringing the reverse osmosis membrane into contact with an ionic poly(vinyl alcohol).

Abstract: A voice recognition device includes a voice recognition dictionary in which a word which is recognized as a result of voice recognition on an inputted voice is registered, a reply voice data storage unit for storing recorded voice data about words registered in the voice recognition dictionary, a dialog control unit for, when a word registered in the voice recognition dictionary is recognized, acquiring recorded voice data corresponding to the word from the reply voice data storage unit, a reproduction noise reduction unit for carrying out a process of reducing noise included in the recorded voice data, an amplitude adjusting unit for adjusting an amplitude of the recorded voice data in which the noise has been reduced to a predetermined amplitude level, and a voice reproduction unit for reproducing a voice from the amplitude-adjusted recorded voice data.

Abstract: A filtration apparatus 10, includes: a filter body 4 formed by spirally winding a sheet-shaped member; and a filtration tank 1 through which water to be treated is passed, and into which the filter body 4 is charged such that the axis of the filter body 4 extends along the direction of water passage, wherein the sheet-shaped member is composed of a sheet-shaped mesh sheet 5 having holes through which the water to be treated passes, and a sheet-shaped spacer 6 through which the water to be treated passes with difficulty as compared with the mesh sheet 5, the sheet surfaces of the mesh sheet 5 and the spacer 6 being superposed on each other.

Abstract: A voice recognition apparatus 10, which performs voice recognition of an input voice by referring to a voice recognition dictionary and outputs a voice recognition result, has an external information acquiring section 14 for acquiring from externally connected devices 20-1-20-N connected thereto a type of each externally connected device, and for acquiring data recorded in each externally connected device; a vocabulary extracting analyzing section 15 and 16 for extracting a vocabulary item from the data as an extracted vocabulary item, and for producing analysis data by analyzing the extracted vocabulary item and by providing the extracted vocabulary item with reading; and a dictionary generating section 17 for storing the analysis data in the voice recognition dictionary corresponding to the type. For each type of the externally connected devices, one of the voice recognition dictionaries 13-1-13-N is assigned.

Abstract: The filtration apparatus of the invention includes a filtration member 12 which has a ribbon-like suspended-solid-capturing member for capturing suspended solid present in fed treatment water 1, wherein the filtration member is charged in a filtration tank 11 such that a filtration portion of the filtration tank has a percent void of 50 to 95% during passage of the treatment water.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis membrane that can maintain high permeability for a longer time, a reverse osmosis membrane apparatus, and a hydrophilic treatment method for a reverse osmosis membrane. A reverse osmosis membrane to which poly(vinyl alcohol) is absorbed, wherein the poly(vinyl alcohol) is an ionic poly(vinyl alcohol). Preferably, adsorption of a cationic PVA to the reverse osmosis membrane is followed by adsorption of an anionic PVA. More preferably, an ionic polymer other than PVA is also absorbed to the reverse osmosis membrane. A reverse osmosis membrane apparatus including the reverse osmosis membrane. A hydrophilic treatment method for a reverse osmosis membrane, involving bringing the reverse osmosis membrane into contact with an ionic poly(vinyl alcohol).

Abstract: To provide a membrane separation method capable of attaining reduced adsorption of a membrane-fouling substance contained in treatment water onto the surface of a separation membrane during membrane separation of the treatment water, to thereby lead retarded deterioration in membrane separation performance, and a membrane separation apparatus for performing the method. In the membrane separation method, to treatment water, a particulate cationic polymer which swells in water but does not substantially dissolve therein is added, and the treatment water is subjected to membrane separation.

Abstract: An electrodeionization apparatus has a cathode and an anode, and has alternately formed therebetween concentrating chambers and desalination chambers by alternately arranging a plurality of anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes, each of the concentrating chambers being provided with a bipolar membrane to partition the interior of the concentrating chamber into a cathode side and an anode side, and each of the desalination chambers being divided into at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, from an upstream side in a direction of flow of water to be treated, and being filled with an ion exchanger comprising an anion exchanger and a cation exchanger. The ion exchanger filling the first layer contains no less than 50 vol % of the cation exchanger, while the ion exchanger filling the second layer contains over 50 vol % to 80 vol % of the anion exchanger.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water purifying system capable of efficiently producing treated water containing boron at a low concentration. Water to be treated is first fed to the RO membrane apparatus 1 and the passed water is fed through the boron absorptive apparatus 2. Water which was passed through the boron absorptive apparatus 2 and of which boron was thus removed is fed through the electrodeionization apparatus 3. In this manner, water treated by electrodeionization is taken out as treated water. The condensed water of the electrodeionization apparatus 3 may be discharged or returned to the upstream side of the RO membrane apparatus 1 through a return pipe 4 so that the condensed water is added to water to be treated. Suitably used as the absorptive agent accommodated in the boron absorptive apparatus 2 is a boron selective absorptive agent capable of selectively absorbing boron.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for further purifying ultrapure water, according to which any impurities in ultrapure water can be stably removed to a high degree within a small space over a prolonged period; and an apparatus therefor. Ultrapure water introduced into an ultrapure-water purifying apparatus 10 passes through an ion exchange resin layer 5 in a lower chamber 1a. During this process, metal ions, for example, in the ultrapure water are removed by the ion exchange resin. The ultrapure water then passes through a perforated plate 4, flows into an upper chamber 1b, and permeates an ion exchange filter 6. During this process, metal ions and other impurities remaining unremoved by the ion exchange resin layer 5 are removed. Specifically, metal ions are removed to a certain extent by the ion exchange resin, so that it is enough for the ion exchange filter provided downstream thereof to remove an extremely small amount of metal ions.

Abstract: A voice recognition apparatus 10, which performs voice recognition of an input voice by referring to a voice recognition dictionary and outputs a voice recognition result, has an external information acquiring section 14 for acquiring from externally connected devices 20-1-20-N connected thereto a type of each externally connected device, and for acquiring data recorded in each externally connected device; a vocabulary extracting analyzing section 15 and 16 for extracting a vocabulary item from the data as an extracted vocabulary item, and for producing analysis data by analyzing the extracted vocabulary item and by providing the extracted vocabulary item with reading; and a dictionary generating section 17 for storing the analysis data in the voice recognition dictionary corresponding to the type. For each type of the externally connected devices, one of the voice recognition dictionaries 13-1-13-N is assigned.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water purifying system capable of efficiently producing treated water containing boron at a low concentration. Water to be treated is first fed to the RO membrane apparatus 1 and the passed water is fed through the boron absorptive apparatus 2. Water which was passed through the boron absorptive apparatus 2 and of which boron was thus removed is fed through the electrodeionization apparatus 3. In this manner, water treated by electrodeionization is taken out as treated water. The condensed water of the electrodeionization apparatus 3 may be discharged or returned to the upstream side of the RO membrane apparatus 1 through a return pipe 4 so that the condensed water is added to water to be treated. Suitably used as the absorptive agent accommodated in the boron absorptive apparatus 2 is a boron selective absorptive agent capable of selectively absorbing boron.

Abstract: The electrodeionization apparatus 3A has a plurality of cation exchange membrane and plurality of anion exchange membrane alternately arranged between electrodes in such a manner as to alternately form diluting compartments and concentrating compartments. The diluting compartments are filled with an ion exchanger. The product water having pH exceeding pH of the feed water by 1.0 or more when the feed water having pH of equal to or less than 8.5 is treated without adding alkaline agents. The apparatus for producing purified water has plural electrodeionization apparatuses 3A, 3B connected each other so that the feed water flows through the electrodeionization apparatuses.