A configuration controller generates one or more control signals based on channel data. Under the first embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor substrate is provided with a scribe line in a passive surface region and active circuits surrounding the passive region. The anchor may be of generally L-shaped cross-section and has a first limb extending in the axial direction and a second limb extending at an acute angle to the first limb. The embodiments are applicable to terrain mapping, bathymetry, seismology, detecting faults, biomass measurement, wind speed measurement, temperature calculation, traffic speed measurement, military target identification, surface to air rangefinding, high definition survey, close range photogrammetry, atmospheric composition, meteorology, distance measurement, as well as many other applications.