Industrial - Bachelor
ground. is a push-down herb grinder for people whose chronic pain affects the hands. It replaces gripping and twisting with a low-effort press. Its bamboo, stainless steel and frosted glass form sits comfortably in any home, inviting onlookers to see medicinal cannabis as something normal.
Around a million Australians now use medicinal cannabis, and 65% of prescriptions are for chronic pain from conditions like arthritis, MS and cerebral palsy. That pain reaches the hands. Despite legalisation a decade ago, stigma still means people hide their use or feel they have to defend it, even in their own home.
Six interviews (four users, one expert and one who was both), an at-home observation and 23 references showed the same thing. Preparing cannabis meant gripping small parts and twisting again and again, which aggravated symptoms in the hands. Stigma came up just as often. A decade after legalisation, people still hide their use or feel they have to defend it, even in their own home. Nobody should feel ashamed of looking after themselves.
“because of my pain in my hands and my like sort of lack of mobility and dexterity, it’s pretty hard to like have that repeated movement or even use the grinder”
– INT01U
“to people who, Don’t fully understand it medically, also because I am in the health field and study a health degree. I find that it sometimes comes up in conversations that in like uni or at work. Will have very negative views on it.”
– INT04U
Some grinders are still plastic, which risks microplastics in what people consume. They all look like paraphernalia. Medicinal vaping and smoking devices are expensive and look medical, so they don’t belong in a home. Nothing was easy on the hands, safe to consume from and made for the home.
Standard grinders rely on a tight grip and repeated twisting, which research showed aggravated symptoms in the hands. ‘ground.’ swaps that for a push-down action that needs little grip strength and very little fine motor control. A lightweight body and a comfortable, stable grip keep the effort low.
Existing grinders are often still plastic, which risks microplastics in what people consume. In ‘ground.’, stainless steel is the only material that touches the flower. Everything that matters for safety sits where the user can’t see it, so they can use it with confidence.
Many grinders look like paraphernalia, and medicinal devices often look clinical, so neither feels at home in a living room. ‘ground.’ uses warm bamboo, brushed stainless steel and frosted amber glass in a clean form that reads as decor. The frosted glass keeps what’s inside private, so users never have to hide it or explain it in their own home.
Stigma still follows medicinal cannabis, even a decade after legalisation, and it sits with the people in the room as well as the user. The silhouette of ‘ground.’ is shaped to be admired first, inviting onlookers to link cannabis with beauty instead of assumption. When beauty outshines stigma, it can change a mind.
Press down and up instead of gripping and twisting.
Requires little grip strength or fine motor control.
Steady in the hand.
Less to hold up.
Keeps everything in one place, in the base. And the 4mm thick jar wall traps any smell.
A clean cut with less friction. Less friction means less resin secretion. Goodbye sticky herb grinders.
The only material that touches the flower.
No microplastics in what you consume.
Hands don’t feel the same every day, and ‘ground.’ doesn’t expect them to. Because the grind comes from a push rather than a twist, the user chooses how they press. A press with the palm on a sore day or a firmer two fingered one on a strong day works equally well. They can take their time and use whatever technique feels best for their hands, so the grinder adapts to how they feel, not the other way around.
Bamboo is light in the hand and a quiet nod to cannabis as a grass. Frosted amber glass keeps what’s inside private while looking like decor. Brushed stainless steel is strong, and no plastic touches the flower.
Kaitlyn Carney is an industrial designer inspired by design that starts conversations, challenges assumptions and improves quality of life. With an understanding of real-life context and a passion for problem solving, she creates purposeful, long-lasting products that people can rely on. Her work spans 3D modelling, rendering and physical prototyping.
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