Estimating Unitree G1 actuator heat loss in Isaac Sim with a physics-based model

IsaiahBallah · x · 2026-09-22

A robotics practitioner shows how to estimate actuator heat loss on a Unitree G1 in Isaac Sim: joint torque and velocity (also reported by unitreesdk2 on the real robot) feed a Joule-heating-plus-friction model per joint, with USD material color shifting from grey to red to flag overheating. The companion arXiv paper presents a physics-based, linear-in-parameters power model for the G1's 7-DoF arm, with baseline-torque correction and multi-joint coupling terms, identified from onboard power measurements across 897 trajectories.

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