New Technology Allows Amputees to ‘Test Drive’ Prosthetic Feet

A new device from a Harmar-based company is transforming the process of selecting a prosthetic foot, offering amputees an unprecedented chance to “try on” different models before making a lifelong decision.

Currently, patients who have undergone a lower-limb amputation rarely get to choose their prosthetic foot. The process is largely based on a clinician’s judgment, leaving the patient as a passive recipient.

“There’s no shoe store for prosthetics, where you can go in and try different shoes out and see what you like, look in the mirror, walk around,” said Josh Caputo, founder and CEO of Humotech.

Humotech aims to change that with its Caplex System. The centerpiece of the technology is a wearable “prosthetic foot emulator” that can mimic the feel and performance of various prosthetic feet available on the market. This allows patients to “test drive” different options in real-time, a capability that is virtually unheard of in most clinics.

The company recently demonstrated the technology for University of Pittsburgh students studying orthotics and prosthetics. For students like Rachel Sumrada, who was born without a lower left leg, the problem is personal.

“As much as this exists, it’s not accessible to the amputee population,” Sumrada said. She noted that she has never been to a clinic where she was able to sample three different feet, yet Humotech’s technology allows her to do that in seconds.

How the ‘Test Drive’ Works

A patient wearing the Caplex device walks on a treadmill while an operator uses a computer program to instantly change the foot’s characteristics, such as stiffness, weight, and responsiveness. During a demo, one student reported that an adjustment made the foot feel exactly like it was “walking through mud.”

As the foot changes, the patient provides feedback on comfort and preference while the system collects biomechanical data. Caputo describes this as a conversation that is “more art than science,” driven by human emotions and personal preference. He recalled a trial patient who was so “jazzed” by the experience that he nearly cried; the patient said they hadn’t walked that fast in five years.

Informing the Science and the Payers

Beyond patient preference, the technology provides crucial data for insurance companies. Prosthetic feet can cost up to $30,000, and insurers require evidence of “medical necessity” for coverage.

“You cannot do anything in health care without thinking about the payers because the payers are funding everything that is done for the patient,” Mr. Caputo said. By providing objective, experiential data, Humotech aims to foster trust and streamline the approval process.

Pitt professor Robert Maguire agrees that adding science benefits the patient. Matching a foot to a patient’s activity level and goals—whether they are a brisk walker or an avid hiker—is key.

“The emulation that you’re seeing here has a way of proving what type of foot that a patient will need, as opposed to taking the marketing point put out by a manufacturer,” Maguire said.

A Step into the Real World

The technology is now moving into clinical practice. This week, Humotech announced its first customer, Ross-based ēlizur, a provider of prosthetics and orthotics.

“I believe this patient-centric technology will create a more efficient and appropriate prosthetic foot selection process for both the patient and the prosthetist,” said Brad Scott, director of prosthetics and orthotics at ēlizur. “Patients will spend less time in the clinic while being matched with the most biomechanically suitable foot.”

With approximately 850,000 major lower-limb amputations occurring worldwide each year, this innovation promises to give more amputees a voice in their own mobility.

— This article is based on original reporting by Chloe Jad of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2025/11/03/humotech-amputees-prosthetics-insurance/stories/202511030065