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Developing user-friendly learning platform tailored to illustrating the integrative nature of specific subjects can be very effective in enhancing the involvement of students in the classroom. The focus of this paper is twofold; first, highlighting a specific project from a teaching perspective for the design and implementation of a multipurpose experimental test facility for plug-in electric vehicle, renewable energy and energy storage management in the smart grid context. Second, proposing the application of this project as an interactive tool to assist in demonstrating the system behaviour, when teaching the new emerging subjects in power engineering courses particularly, Smart Grid. Indeed, the scope of the test facility with the developed simulation tool is specially structured and oriented to education, training and research studies, where problem-based learning can be easily implemented. The electrical test hardware in this design can be operated independently as a multipurpose experimental setup for plug-in electric vehicle. In addition, it can also be interconnected with a small size wind or photovoltaic system to facilitate a complete hybrid integrated platform for testing and model verification. A variety of illustrative examples are presented to show the features of the test facility with its operation and how the components of this facility were selected. Additionally, several test scenarios are depicted using the developed simulation tool, which cover the assessment of grid integration with its components in the event of unforeseen circumstances. A recommendation that can be drawn from this paper is to motivate academics who are actively involved in conducting research on smart grid, to make use of their hardware or software designs in the process of teaching and learning so that undergraduate students can get the opportunity of observation and experimentation. In this sense, suggestions for future work are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAdvances in mobile health (mHealth) technology have made it possible for patients and health care providers to monitor and track behavioral health symptoms in real time. Ideally, mHealth apps include both passive and interactive monitoring and demonstrate high levels of patient engagement. Digital phenotyping, the measurement of individual technology usage, provides insight into individual behaviors associated with mental health. ObjectiveResearchers at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Cogito Corporation sought to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an mHealth app, the Cogito Companion. MethodsA mixed methodological approach was used to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the app. Veterans completed clinical interviews and self-report measures, at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. During the data collection period, participants were provided access to the Cogito Companion smartphone app. The mobile app gathered passive and active behavioral health indicators. Data collected (eg, vocal features and digital phenotyping of everyday social signals) are analyzed in real time. Passive data collected include location via global positioning system (GPS), phone calls, and SMS text message metadata. Four primary model scores were identified as being predictive of the presence or absence of depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans Affairs clinicians monitored a provider dashboard and conducted clinical outreach when indicated. ResultsFindings suggest that use of the Cogito Companion app was feasible and acceptable. Veterans (n=83) were interested in and used the app; however, active use declined over time. Nonetheless, data were passively collected, and outreach occurred throughout the study period. On the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire–8, 79% (53/67) of the sample reported scores demonstrating acceptability of the app (mean 26.2, SD 4.3). Many veterans reported liking specific app features (day-to-day monitoring) and the sense of connection they felt with the study clinicians who conducted outreach. Only a small percentage (4/67, 6%) reported concerns regarding personal privacy. ConclusionsFeasibility and acceptability of the Cogito Corporation platform to monitor mental health symptoms, behaviors, and facilitate follow-up in a sample of veterans were supported. Clinically, platforms such as the Cogito Companion system may serve as useful methods to promote monitoring, thereby facilitating early identification of risk and mitigating negative psychiatric outcomes, such as suicide.