See, Hear, MN: CATSS Announces a New Mobile Sensory Health Unit

Minnesotans in rural and urban areas will soon have better access to essential sensory care, thanks to a new state-of-the-art mobile health unit — See, Hear, MN — developed by the Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science (CATSS). This custom-built truck will serve as a mobile satellite site, bringing vital clinical screenings directly to underserved communities across the state.

Members of the CATSS team pose with Lions Club International mascot Leo the Lion and University of Minnesota Twin Cities mascot Goldy Gopher at the Minnesota Lions "Walk to D-Feet Hearing Loss" event at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in June. Photo courtesy of Andrew Oxenham, CATSS director.

Sensory health is a critical but often overlooked aspect of lifelong well-being. For instance, low vision affects nearly 100,000 Minnesotans, while untreated hearing loss impacts two-thirds of adults over 70 and stands as a major modifiable risk factor for dementia. Furthermore, racial and ethnic minorities, alongside rural populations, frequently face poorer post-stroke care and limited access to developmental speech-language services.

To bridge these gaps, qualified specialists and students from the Departments of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Ophthalmology, and Otolaryngology will provide free, accessible screenings for vision, balance, hearing, speech, and language. Operating without patient out-of-pocket costs, the unit removes mobility and financial barriers, allowing CATSS to screen an estimated 900 to 1,500 new patients annually. See, Hear, MN will also expand community-engaged research and educational outreach opportunities at schools and senior residencies.

You will be able to find the unit across the state this summer. The mobile unit is hitting the road for several events around Minnesota. Be sure to look for us at the Minnesota State Fair to see See, Hear, MN in action!