I plan to discuss, based on theory and simulations in our group, examples of nanofriction as a mechanical case of non-equilibrium condensed matter physics. The question will be what information could a non-invasive, external tool such as friction tool reveal about phenomena that are going on inside the sliders or within an interposed lubricating film. The accent is on the physics and not on tribology, considering instances where friction and dissipation could anticipate experiments exploring some extreme frictional situations; others where it could describe the frictional signature of phase transitions, or the effect of external perturbations such as electric fields, or the effect of time-periodic amplitude modulations of the corrugation potential. These and other examples suggest that nanofriction and AFM dissipation could in some cases provide a sort of "Braille" spectroscopy tool for the blind man.

Erio Tosatti is a leading condensed matter physicist. He is a Fellow and life member of the American Physical Society and has held positions in scientific committees of renowned institutions. He has published around 500 articles and review articles in journals and books, with nearly 18,500 total citations (Google Scholar Citations). His current research interests lie in the fields of Theory of Nanofriction, Mott Insulating and Superconducting States of Fullerides and Organics, Theory of Metallic and Magnetic Nanocontacts, Strong Electron Correlations at Surfaces, Physics of Ultra-High Pressures, Quantum Effects near Ferroelectric and Structural Phase Transitions.