This spring, SE 3 students completed a Pokémon-inspired term project that challenged them to design and build a structure capable of catching Pokémon in the Kanto region. Working in teams of three to four, students began with creative design work in SolidWorks, then 3D printed components and assembled them into a full working prototype. Teams were also encouraged to imagine an environment for their assembly, giving each design its own distinct theme and personality.
The project gave students an opportunity to apply structural engineering concepts through hands-on design, prototyping, and testing — taking their work from CAD to a physical, functioning
structure. Along the way, teams submitted professional CAD drawings and a poster presentation, then capped off the quarter by presenting and demonstrating their prototypes live during a final design competition, showcasing their creativity, teamwork, and engineering problem-solving skills.
Each prototype was evaluated against a shared performance index covering accuracy, distance, aesthetics and innovation, and cost — while an engineering notebook and peer evaluations captured how well each team worked together throughout the quarter.
Deliverables
- Working prototype
- CAD drawings
- Poster presentation
- Final design competition
Performance Index
- Accuracy
- Distance
- Aesthetics & Innovation
- Cost
Teamwork
- Engineering Notebook
- Peer evaluation
Competition Videos
Watch the teams' prototypes in action: YouTube playlist
Teaching Team
Professor: Lelli Van Den Einde
Student IAs: Danielle Richards, Dylan Cram, Isabelle De Fontaine, Mayalia Guntle, Liam Hargis-Bullen, Andrea Huynh, Rachel Sherrill, Hanxiao Shi, Jasmine Villarie, Yanghong Wei, Katty Zhang
