[0002] The present disclosure relates to testing a prosthetic limb and in particular to testing the gait cycle of the prosthetic limb.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] A prosthesis is a device or an implant that replaces a missing body part. A prosthesis helps an amputee in regaining the normal functions of the missing body part by replicating the functions of the body part. All prostheses need to go through rigorous mechanical, endurance and functional tests so that they meet the operational standards. Lower extremity prostheses particularly above-knee and below-knee knee prostheses also need to undergo kinematic and dynamic tests to determine the performance of the limb during activities such as walking, sitting, ascending or descending stairs, etc. The activity of walking involves a gait cycle comprising of two phases - stance phase and swing phase, each phase involving multiple stages.
[0004] The standard methods of testing mechanical fatigue and endurance for lower extremity prostheses include battering the limb using test beds that are powered by electric and pneumatic operators. The battering force that is exerted on the prosthesis is dependent on the range of body weight for which the prosthesis has been designed. In the battering test, the weight is exerted vertically on the limb, thereby facilitating in determining the mechanical fatigue and endurance of the prosthetic over several usage cycles. However, the aforementioned method does not test the movement of the prosthetic limb through the entire gait cycle as the vertical exertion on the prosthetic limb emulates a specific stage of stance phase in the gait cycle i.e. mid-stance wherein the entire body weight is exerted on the foot. The battering method is not successful in testing the other stages within the stance and swing phase of the gait cycle. There are multiple gait emulators known in the art which emulate certain phases of the gait cycle for a prosthetic limb. However, the said gait emulators are not equipped to emulate all the stages of the gait cycle. The gait emulators and other known prosthetic limb testing

mechanisms also do not address the other activities performed by an amputee such as ascending or descending stairs, sitting, standing, squatting, etc.
[0005] Various publications have tried to address the problems with testing the gait cycle and other activities for a prosthetic limb. CN110063822A discusses a testing system for the knee prosthesis which simulates the thigh movement to emulate the gait cycle. CN108852567A describes an artificial limb testing under asymmetric alternating loads to simulate the walking of the human body. CN201260709Y relates to simulating the gait of a human body. It can be observed that the aforementioned publications primarily focus on the stance phase of the gait cycle, gait emulators may be used for simulating the swing phase of the gait cycle. However, the said emulators do not replicate all the phases of the human gait cycle. None of the aforementioned publication relates to any mechanism that would allow testing of the prosthetic limb when ascending or descending stairs, sitting or squatting or performing any other movement which comes naturally to a human being.
[0006] Therefore, there is a requirement for a mechanism that would facilitate the testing of a prosthetic limb through all the phases of the gait cycle such that the natural motion of walking and weight distribution when walking is replicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present subject matter relates to a system for testing a prosthetic limb.
[0008] According to one embodiment of the present subject matter, a system for testing a prosthetic limb is disclosed. The system includes a test stand and a support member that is adapted to be fitted to the test stand and rotate freely around an axis of the support member. The system includes a limb holder having a provision at a bottom of the limb holder to attach a first end of the prosthetic limb. The limb holder has a vertically oriented recess for fitting the support member orthogonally in the recess to support the limb holder. The recess is longer than an engaging edge of the support member and the limb holder is adapted to translate vertically and parallelly to the engaging edge and over the support member. The system includes a set of weights that are adapted to be fitted on the limb holder to load the prosthetic limb. The system includes a movable platform disposed at a base of the test stand, to support a second end of the prosthetic limb and convey the second end of the prosthetic limb from a first side of the test stand towards a

second side of the test stand horizontally. The prosthetic limb is moved upwards while conveying it from the first side towards the second side of the test stand, thereby enabling the loading of the prosthetic limb by the set of weights.
[0009] According to another embodiment, the system may further include a drive member connected to a motor. The drive member is coupled to the movable platform to actuate the movable platform, such that the motion of the movable platform is equivalent to the pace of walking. In some embodiments, the device may include a set of sensors that are disposed at the second side of the test stand to sense the presence of the second end of the prosthetic limb. The sensors are proximity sensors or position sensors or any combination thereof.
[0010] According to some embodiments, the system may further include a platform control arrangement on the first side of the test stand. The arrangement is adapted to actuate the movable platform downwards upon receipt of signals from the set of sensors to enable reverse conveying of the second end of the prosthetic limb towards the first side of the test stand. The system further includes an actuator, the actuator is adapted to engage with the support member upon receipt of signals from the set of sensors. It enables actuating the support member to facilitate reverse conveying of the prosthetic limb towards the first side of the test stand. In some embodiments, the system has a slide member disposed adjacent to a top end of the test stand. The slide member is adapted to slide vertically along the test stand and has a aperture to allow the support member to be fitted to the test stand through the slide member. The vertical movement of the slide member causes corresponding movement of the support member to bend the prosthetic limb and change the testing characteristics.
[0011] This and other aspects are described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The invention has other advantages and features, which will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the system for testing a prosthetic limb, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0014] FIG. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D illustrate the components of the movable platform, the support member and different platform control arrangements according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0015] FIG. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E illustrate the system for testing prosthetic limb during the stance phase of the gait cycle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0016] FIG. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D illustrate the system for testing prosthetic limb during the swing phase of the gait cycle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0017] FIG. 5A and 5B illustrate the system for testing prosthetic limb during sitting and standing activities, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0018] FIG. 6A and 6B illustrate the system for testing prosthetic limb during ascension and descension activities, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0019] While the invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.
[0020] Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The meaning of "a", "an", and "the" include plural references. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on." Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Additionally, a reference to the singular includes a reference to the plural unless otherwise stated or inconsistent with the disclosure herein.
[0021] The present subject matter describes a testing system for a prosthetic limb which may be used to test the behavior of above-knee prosthesis or below-knee prosthesis for all the stages of a gait cycle including activities such as sitting, standing, squatting, ascending and descending stairs, ramp or a slope.
[0022] A system (100) for testing the gait cycle of a prosthetic limb (112) is illustrated in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The system (100) includes a test stand (102) for supporting the other components of the system (100). The system (100) includes a support member (104) which can be fitted to the test stand (102) such that the support member (104) can rotate freely around its axis. The system (100) also includes a slide member (116) that is disposed adjacent a top end of the test stand (102), the slide member (116) can move vertically along the test stand (102). The support member (104) is connected to the test stand (102) by an aperture in the slide member (116). There is another aperture in the test stand (102), which enables the slide member (104) to be moved to different positions along the test stand (102) and retained in place by a locking mechanism.. The locking mechanism may be may be screw operated or clamp operated.. The vertical movement of the slide member (116) causes corresponding movement of the support member (104), such that it allows bending of the prosthetic limb (112) and changing the test characteristics. During the various stances and activities that the prosthetic limb (112) emulates, the relative motion between the support member (104) and the slide member (116) is angular or rotatory as may be seen when the

prothetic limb (112) moves from the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) to the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) and vice versa. At no point in time there is vertical or horizontal motion between the slide member (116) and the support member (104).
[0023] The system (100) includes a limb holder (106) that has a provision for attaching the first end (112a) of a prosthetic limb (112) at its bottom. In one embodiment, the limb holder (106) has a vertically oriented recess (206), the support member (104) is fitted orthogonally in the recess (206) to support the limb holder (104). The recess (206) is longer than the engaging edge (208) of the support member (104) such that the limb holder (106) is adapted to translate vertically and parallelly to the engaging edge (208) and over the support member (104). The system (100) also includes a set of weights (108) that are fitted to the limb holder (106) and facilitates the loading of the prosthetic limb (112).
[0024] The system (100) further includes a movable platform (110) that is disposed at the base of the test stand (102) and supports a second end of the prosthetic limb (112b). The movable platform (110) moves the prosthetic limb (112) horizontally from first end (102a) of the test stand (102) to a second end (102b) of the test stand (102). The prosthetic limb (112) is adapted to be pushed upwards as it moves from the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) to the second end (102b) of the test stand (102), the upward movement of the prosthetic limb (112) causes a corresponding upward movement of the limb holder (106). The set of weights (108) attached to the limb holder (106) is lifted as the limb holder (106) moves in an upward direction thereby causing the loading of the prosthetic limb (112) .The movable platform (110) is coupled to a drive member (114) that is connected to a motor (not shown in the figure). The drive member (114) actuates the movable platform such that the motion of the movable platform (110) is equivalent to the motion of walking.
[0025] A view of the movable platform (110) and the limb holder (106) are illustrated in FIG. 2A and 2B according to one embodiment of the subject matter. The system (100) includes a set of sensors (202) that are disposed at the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) for detecting the presence of the prosthetic limb (112) at the second end (102b) of the test stand (102). The set of sensors (202) may be proximity sensors or position sensors or a combination of proximity and position sensors.

[0026] The proximity sensors generates an electromagnetic field or emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation such as infrared, and upon detecting a change in the electromagnetic field the circuit monitoring the electromagnetic field triggers the sensor's output signal indicating the presence of a prosthetic limb (112) in the electromagnetic field. The position sensors sense the presence of the prosthetic limb (112) at a reference point. These sensors may use an electric field or magnetic field to detect the displacement of the prosthetic limb (112) wherein changes in the voltage indicate the position of the prosthetic limb (112) triggering the sensor's signal. Alternately, the position sensor may trigger a signal upon detecting the presence of the prosthetic limb in a predefined position. The movable platform (110) is connected to a platform control arrangement (204) disposed at the first end (102a) of the test stand (102). Alternatively, the platform control arrangement (204) may be disposed at the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) or centrally positioned below the movable platform (110).
[0027] Two different platform control arrangement for changing the position of the moveable platform is illustrated in FIGS. 2C and 2D. A shown in FIG. 2C, the platform control arrangement (204) comprises a motor (210), a gear (212) and a pulley (214), wherein t the pulley (214) is coupled to the gear (212) and the gear (212) is connected to the motor (210). The pulley (214) is connected to the movable platform (110) such that the operation of the pulley (214) causes a downward and upward motion of the movable platform (110). Upon receiving the sensor signal indicating the presence of the prosthetic limb (112) at second end (102b) of the test stand (102), the motor (210) is activated which in turn initiates the gear (212) and sets the pulley (214) in motion. The speed at which the pulley (214) moves is managed by the gear (212) and the pulley (214) actuates downward movement of the movable platform (110). As the movable platform moves (204) downwards , a slope is created between the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) and the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) which facilitates the movement of the prosthetic limb (112) from the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) towards the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) upon receiving a signal from the set of sensors (202). The gradual upward motion of the movable platform (110) is actuated once the pulley (214) completes the downward movement of the movable platform (110). Alternately, the pulley may be directly connected to the motor wherein the motor initiates the pulley upon receiving sensor signal indicating the presence of the prosthetic

limb (112) at second end (102b) of the test stand (102). The pulley faciliates downward movement of the movable platform (110). As shown in FIG. 2D, the platform arrangement (204) comprises sliding arranagement which includes a motor (220) and a slider (218). The sliding arrangement is disposed below the movable platform (110) wherein the movable platform rests on the slider (218) and the slider (218) is connected to the motor (220). The slider (218) is actuated by the motor (220) on receiving a signal from the set of sensors (202). The slider (218) causes downward motion of the movable platform (110) thereby creating slope between the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) and the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) which facilitates the movement of the prosthetic limb (112) from the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) towards the first end (102a) of the test stand (102)
[0028] The support member (104) is connected to an actuator (216) disposed in the test stand which engages with the support member (104) upon receiving a signal from the set of sensors (202). The actuator (216) controls the movement of the support member (104) when the prosthetic limb (112) enters the swing phase of the gait cycle.The actuator (216) actuates the movement of the support member (104) for conveying the prosthetic limb (112) from the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) towards the first end (102a) of the test stand (102).
[0029] The system (100) for testing a prosthetic limb (112) during the stance phase of the gait cycle is illustrated in FIG. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E according to an embodiment of the subject matter. The stance phase of the gait cycle may be divided into five stages -heel-strike, foot-flat, midstance, heel-off and toe-off During the stance phase, the motion of the movable platform (110) causes dragging of the prosthetic limb (112) when conveying the prosthetic limb (112) from the first end of the test stand (102a) to the second end of the test stand (102b). The motion of the prosthetic limb (112) from the first end 102a to the second end 102b leads to the upward motion or push of the prosthetic limb (112), which in turn lifts the limb holder (106) and corresponding set of weights (108) associated with the limb holder (106) are also lifted thereby causing the loading of the prosthetic limb (112). Loading of the prosthetic limb (112) pertains to a gradual increase in the weight that applied to the prosthetic limb (112) as it progresses through the gait cycle. As the prosthetic limb (112) executes each stage of the stance phase, the prosthetic limb (112) is gradually loaded and the complete weight of the body

is exerted on the prosthetic limb (112) at midstance. The limb holder (106) accommodates the vertical movement of the set of weights (108) and facilitates the natural distribution of the weight throughout the stance phase.
[0030] During the heel strike stage, a part of the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) i.e the heel touches the movable platform (110) as shown in FIG. 3A, the top side (208a) of the engaging surface (208) of the support member (104) connects to the top side (206a) of the recess (206) thereby loading the prosthetic limb (112). In the foot-flat stage as shown in FIG. 3B, the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) rests on the movable platform (110) causing the prosthetic limb (112) to be slowly or gradually lifted or pushed upwards first lifting the set of weights (108) along with it to be lifted to accommodate the motion. Due to the lifting of the set of weights (108), an interval is created between the top side (208a) of the engaging surface (208) of the support member (104) and the top side (206a) of the recess (206a) as the limb holder (106) moves upwards due to the movement of the prosthetic limb (112). In midstance as shown in FIG. 3C, the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) is firmly placed on the movable platform (110). The position of the prosthetic limb (112) causes the limb holder (106) to be lifted further and the set of weights (108) connected to the limb holder (106) is also lifted thereby completing the loading of the prosthetic limb (112). The bottom side (208b) of engaging surface (208) of the support member (104) connects to the bottom side (206b) of the recess (206) to accommodate the vertical movement of the limb holder (106) and set of weights (108) facilitating the loading of the limb (112). At this position, the limb 112 is fully loaded.
[0031] During the heel-off stage, the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) reaches close to the second end of the test stand (102b) as shown in FIG. 3D. A part of the second end (112b) of the prosthetic limb (112b) i.e. the heel leaves the movable platform (110) while the remaining part of the second end (112b) of the prosthetic limb (112) remains connected to the movable platform (110). The set of weights (108) gradually descend causing the creation of an interval between the bottom side (208b) of engaging surface (208) of the support member (104) and the bottom side (206b) of the recess (206) to accommodate the reverse motion of the weights (108) and limb holder (106). During the toe-off stage as shown in FIG. 3E, just a small part of the second end (112b) of the prosthetic limb (112) i.e. the toe remains connected to the movable platform (110) while

the rest of the second end (112b) of the prosthetic limb (112) is lifted. The set of weights (108) complete their motion and correspondingly the top side (208a) of the engaging surface (208) of the support member (104) reaches the top side (206a) of the recess (206).
[0031] The stance phase of the gait cycle is followed by the swing phase of the gait cycle. The swing phase is illustrated in FIG 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D according to an embodiment of the subject matter. At the end of the toe-off stage, the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) leaves the movable platform (110) and the swing phase is initiated as shown in FIG. 4A. As the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) reaches close to the second end of the test stand (102), the set of sensors (202) present at the second end of the test stand (102) detects the presence of the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) utilizing either proximity or positional information about the prosthetic limb (112) generated by the set of sensors (202).A PLC (Programable Logic Controller) receives the signals generated by the set of sensors (202) upon detection of the prosthetic limb (112), it processes the received signals and sends instructions to the platform control management (204)present at the first end of the test stand (102a) and an actuator (206) associated with the support member (104). . Upon receiving the instructions, the platform control arrangement (204) initiates the downward motion of the movable platform (110) which allows the prosthetic limb (112) to be conveyed from the second end of the test stand (112) to the first end of the test stand (102). Simultaneously the actuator (206) engages with the support member (104) to facilitate the conveying of the prosthetic limb (112) towards the first end of the test stand (102a) as shown in FIG. 4B once it receives the instructions from the PLC. In some embodiments, the motion of the movable platform (110) may be predefined which would allow the movable platform (110) to lowered and raised in predetermined time intervals.
[0032] The movable platform (110) is gradually raised by the platform control arrangement (204) facilitating the advance of the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) towards the first end of the test stand (102a) as shown in FIG. 4C. When the movable platform (110) reaches its original position, the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) reaches the first end of the test stand (102) and is ready to enter the stance phase of the gait cycle as shown in FIG. 4D. In some embodiments, the drive member (114) may perform the activities of the platform control arrangement (204).

[0033] The system (100) for testing prosthetic limb (112) while performing sitting and standing activities is illustrated in FIG. 5A and 5B according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. When emulating the activities of sitting or squatting, the knee joint of the prosthetic limb (112) bearing the set of weights (108) emulates the aforementioned activities as shown in FIG. 5 A. When performing the activities of sitting or squatting, the movable platform (110) remains stationary while the support member (104) along with the limb holder (106) facilitates the bending of the prosthetic limb (112). The support member (104) is connected to the slide member (116) that is disposed at the top end of the test stand (102), the slide member (116) moves vertically along the test stand (102) to accommodate the movement of the prosthetic limb (112). The motion of the slide member (116) causes a corresponding motion of the support member (104) to facilitate the bending of the prosthetic limb (112), wherein the support member (104) moves along the clearance disposed in the test stand (102) to accomplish movement similar to that of the slide member (116) .. During the activity of standing, the prosthetic limb (112) is loaded as the set of weights (108) is lifted as shown in FIG. 5B. The activity of standing is similar to the midstance stage of the stance cycle in the gait cycle. As the set of weights (108) are lifted, the limb holder (106) accommodates the vertical motion of the set of weights (108), this causes an interval between the top side (206a) of the recess (206) in the limb holder and the top side (208a) of the engaging surface (208a) of the support member (104).
[0034] The system (100) for testing prosthetic limb while performing descension activity is illustrated in FIG, 6A and 6B, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. For testing the performance of the prosthetic limb (112) when performing the activity of descension, the movable platform (110) is moved downwards using the platform control arrangement (204) as shown in FIG. 6A. Due to the downward movement of the movable platform (110), the path between the first end of the test stand (102a) and the second end of the test stand (102b) becomes sloped. The motion of the movable platform (110) along with the sloped path pushes the prosthetic limb (112) towards the first end of the test stand (102). The activity of descension is completed when the prosthetic limb reaches the second end of the test stand (102) as shown in FIG. 6B.

[0035] For testing the performance of the prosthetic limb (112) when performing the activity of ascension, the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) is moved downwards using the platform control arranagement (204). The downward movement of the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) creates slope between the second end (102b) of the test stand (102) and the first end (102a) of the test stand (102) . When the prosthetic limb (112) moves from the second end of the test stand (102) towards the first end of the test stand (102), the prosthetic limb (112) performs the activity of ascension.
[0036] The test bed possesses several advantages over test beds present in prior art. Most of the test beds for prosthetic limbs discussed in the prior art use one or more motors to simulate the human gait cycle for the prosthetic limb, this leads to a requirement for powerful motors as well mechanisms for controlling swinging of the prosthetic limb caused by the motors which results in costly equipments. Further, a prosthetic limb powered by motors is not able to properly simulate the natural human gait. The present invention does not utilize any motors or emulators to simulate the human gait, instead it relies on gravity and momentum generated by the movable platform to simulate human gait. This facilitates simulation of natural human gait as it remains unaffected by excess force generated by motor and emulators. Further the components of the test bed can also be easily assembled without the requirement of sophisticated equipment and controllers.
[0037] The test bed described in various embodiments is simple, cost effective and easy to use. The components of the test bed can be assembled and disassembled quickly. The test bed maybe assembled in the following manner - the test stand (102) is set up, the movable platform (110) is set up near the test stand (102). The platform control arrangement (204) and the set of sensors (202) are connected to the movable platform (110). The prosthetic limb (112) is placed on the movable platform (110) and the limb holder (106) is attached to the prosthetic limb (112), the support member (106) is connected to the test stand (102) the aperture present in the slide member (116) disposed near the top end of the test stand (102). The set of weights (108) are finally added to the limb holder completing the assembly of the test bed.
[0038] Although the detailed description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely as illustrating different examples and aspects of the invention. It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention includes other embodiments not discussed herein. Various other modifications,

changes and variations which will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the system and method of the present invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described here.
[0039] While the invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or material the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.

1. A system (100) for testing gait cycle for a prosthetic limb (112), the system (100)
comprising:
a test stand (102);
a support member (104) adapted to be fitted to the test stand (102) and rotate freely around an axis of the support member (104);
a limb holder (106) having a provision at a bottom of the limb holder (106) to attach a first end of the prosthetic limb (112a), the limb holder (106) having a recess (206) orientated vertically, wherein the support member (104) is adapted to be fitted orthogonally in the recess (206) to support the limb holder (106), the recess (206) longer than an engaging surface (208) of the support member (104), and wherein the limb holder (106) is adapted to translate vertically and parallelly to the engaging surface (208) and over the support member (104);
a set of weights (108) adapted to be fitted on the limb holder (106) to load the prosthetic limb (112);
a movable platform (110) disposed at a base of the test stand (102), to support a second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) and convey the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) from a first side of the test stand (102a) towards a second side of the test stand (102b) horizontally, such that the prosthetic limb (112) is moved upwards during the course of conveying from the first side (102a) towards the second side of the test stand (102b), thereby enabling loading of the prosthetic limb (112) by the set of weights (108).
2. The system (100) according to Claim 1, further comprising a drive member (114) connected to a motor, the drive member (114) coupled to the movable platform (110) to actuate the movable platform (110), wherein the motion of the movable platform (110) is equivalent to the pace of walking.
3. The system (100) according to Claim 1, further comprising a set of sensors (202) disposed at the second side of the test stand (102b) to sense the presence of the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b).

4. The system (100) according to Claim 3, further comprising a platform control arrangement (204) at the first side of the test stand (102a), the arrangement (204) adapted to actuate the movable platform (110) downwards upon receipt of signals from the set of sensors (202), to enable reverse conveying of the second end of the prosthetic limb (112b) towards the first side of the test stand (102a).
5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an actuator (206), the actuator (206) adapted to engage with the support member (104) upon receipt of signals from the set of sensors (202) and enable actuating the support member (104) to facilitate reverse conveying of the prosthetic limb (112) towards the first side of the test stand (102a).
6. The system (100) according to Claim 3, wherein the sensors (202) are proximity sensors or position sensors or any combination thereof.
7. The system (100) according to Claim 1, further comprising a slide member (116) disposed adjacent a top end of the test stand (102), the slide member (116) adapted to slide vertically along the test stand (102), the slide member (116) having an aperture to allow the support member (104) to be fitted to the test stand (102) through the slide member (116), wherein the vertical movement of the slide member (116) causes corresponding movement of the support member (104) to bend the prosthetic limb (112) and change the testing characteristics.