To increase the sensitivity of an IR sensor, one effective method is to use an NPN IR photo-transistor in a Darlington arrangement with another sensitive NPN transistor. This setup involves creating a collector-base connection on the second NPN transistor, which enhances the overall sensitivity. When IR light activates the phototransistor, it can turn on the second transistor if there is sufficient potential across its collector-emitter junction. This configuration amplifies the response to IR signals, making the sensor more effective. Implementing this design can significantly improve the performance of IR sensing applications.