The research team overcame these issues by designing a trap-based microfluidic device that confines a small volume of extractant droplet inside a microchamber while allowing the sample solution to flow continuously through an adjacent microchannel. This configuration enables rapid and selective mass transfer of target analytes into the extractant, while solid particles pass through the channel without interference. After extraction, the extractant droplet can be retrieved for downstream analysis.

Inspired by the human visual system, scientists in China have developed a bioinspired phototransistor with tunable sensitivity that significantly enhances the detection of low-contrast targets. By embedding a reverse-biased photodiode into the gate structure, the device achieves dynamic voltage redistribution and light-dependent conductance tuning, boosting sensitivity by more than 1000 times. The technology offers a powerful new strategy for intelligent machine vision under complex illumination.