# Applied torques on Unitree Go1 return zero measured values in effort control mode

**URL:** <https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197>\
**Category:** Isaac Sim\
**Tags:** isaac-sim-v4-5-0\
**Created:** [May 4, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197 "2025-05-04T12:29:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://developer.download.nvidia.com/images/forums/profile-default-devtalk-84.png) [@Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/Marwah_Al_Sakkaf)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197/1 "2025-05-04T12:29:08Z")

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### Isaac Sim Version

[o] 4.5.0  
 4.2.0  
 4.1.0  
 4.0.0  
 4.5.0  
 2023.1.1  
 2023.1.0-hotfix.1  
 Other (please specify):

### Operating System

[o] Ubuntu 22.04  
 Ubuntu 20.04  
 Windows 11  
 Windows 10  
 Other (please specify):

## Topic Description

### Detailed Description

I’m trying to control the Unitree Go1 quadruped in Isaac Sim using torque (effort) control. I compute an optimal torque vector and apply it to the joints using the Dynamic Control (DC) interface.

The issue is: although the torques are being computed and sent, the measured joint torques always return zero. I verified this using `get_dof_effort()`.

I also want to confirm:  
🔹 Is there an explicit setting in Isaac Sim to switch the control mode for joints (e.g., from `"position"` to `"effort"`)?

### Steps to Reproduce

1. Load Go1 .usd into the scene via add\_reference\_to\_stage(…)
2. Use DynamicControlInterface.get\_articulation(…)` and apply torques using set_dof_effort(...)`.
3. Read back with `get_dof_effort(...)` → all zero.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://developer.download.nvidia.com/images/forums/profile-default-devtalk-84.png) [@Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/Marwah_Al_Sakkaf)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 12:46pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197/3 "2025-05-16T12:46:01Z")

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Solved

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![michalin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/user_avatar/forums.developer.nvidia.com/michalin/32/382649_2.png) [@michalin](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/michalin)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197/4 "2025-05-16T18:21:36Z")

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Hi @Marwah_Al_Sakkaf, thanks for posting this issue and great to hear you found a solution. Would you mind sharing what the issue was and the solution to it?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://developer.download.nvidia.com/images/forums/profile-default-devtalk-84.png) [@Marwah\_Al\_Sakkaf](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/Marwah_Al_Sakkaf)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 8:25am UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197/5 "2025-05-17T08:25:28Z")

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I was trying to apply torque on joints using  
self.robot.set\_joint\_efforts(tau)  
but this method did not apply torques and my torques are always zeros (I don’t know why)

So I used the low level commands using:  
self.dc.get\_articulation\_dof(self.articulation, i)  
self.dc.set\_dof\_effort(dof\_handle, tau\_reordered[i])

I am not sure if this will have any implications.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![michalin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/user_avatar/forums.developer.nvidia.com/michalin/32/382649_2.png) [@michalin](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/michalin)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/applied-torques-on-unitree-go1-return-zero-measured-values-in-effort-control-mode/332197/6 "2025-06-09T15:00:47Z")

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Closed on June 9, 2025, 3:00pm UTC

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