A sensor controller for web handling applications is described. The sensor controller is provided with a first port, a second port, a computer readable medium, and a processor. The first port receives a sequence of data frames capturing an area of a material web having a width to height ratio between 0.10 and 100. The computer readable medium stores logic indicative of identifying properties of a first group of data points of a feature of the material web extending in a web direction of travel. The processor scans the sequence of data frames to locate a transition between a property of the first group of data points and a property of a second group of data points in the data frames and generates a series of location signals indicative of lateral locations of the transition within the data frames. The second port outputs the location signals.