Sensory loss is far more than an inconvenience — it strikes at the core of how we connect with the world. Left untreated, vision and hearing impairments can trigger social withdrawal and accelerate cognitive decline.

Yet routine screenings remain out of reach for many Minnesotans, particularly those in rural areas and those facing financial barriers.

To help close this gap, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science (CATSS) launched the “See, Hear, MN” mobile unit to bring free vision and hearing screenings directly into local communities.

In its first two months on the road, the mobile clinic team logged 2,000 miles across Greater Minnesota and conducted approximately 1,200 screenings, wrapping up the summer at the Minnesota State Fair.

“We met families in rural counties who told us it was the first time their kids had ever been screened,” says Ben Eisenreich, PhD, lead research engineer and lab coordinator at CATSS. “We’re dropping the barrier to access so low that we get people who just happen to be walking by.”

Besides offering clinical care, the mobile unit expands University of Minnesota research into underserved populations and provides hands-on field experience for students studying audiology and other sensory sciences.

The custom suite came to life through philanthropy, including a challenge grant from the Otto Bremer Trust that was matched by the Manitou Fund and Minnesota Lions Hearing Foundation. A recent gift from the Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation will provide operational support for the mobile clinic’s first three years.

“It often takes one to two years to secure federal research grants,” says Andrew Oxenham, PhD, executive director of CATSS and Distinguished McKnight University Professor. “In the meantime, we want to be out there as much as possible — and donor generosity has made that happen.”