  While boosting signals with amplification mechanisms is a well established
approach, attenuation mechanisms are typically considered an anathema because
they degrade the efficiency of the structures employed to perform useful
operations on these signals. An emerging alternate viewpoint promotes losses as
a novel design element by utilizing the notion of exceptional point
degeneracies (EPDs) points in parameter space where the eigenvalues of the
underlying system and the associated eigenvectors simultaneously coalesce.
Here, we demonstrate a direct consequence of such eigenbasis collapse in
elastodynamics, an unusual enhancement of actuation force by a judiciously
designed non-Hermitian metamaterial supporting an EPD that is coupled to an
actuation source. Intriguingly, the EPD enables this enhancement while
maintaining a constant signal quality. Our work constitutes a
proof-of-principle design which can promote a new class of reconfigurable
nano-indenters and robotic-actuators. Importantly, it reveals the ramifications
of non-Hermiticity in boosting the Purcell emissivity enhancement factor beyond
its expected value, which can guide the design of metamaterials with enhanced
emission that does not deteriorate signal quality for mechanical, acoustic,
optical, and photonic applications.
