It is discloses a device and method for controlling a material flow (18) in a storage and picking system (10) at a sensor-controlled node (12) of the material flow (18), where a decision on a future direction of material flow or on a velocity of the material flow (18) is to be taken, wherein at least an inlet section (28) of the node (12) is detected by a, preferably single, sensor (22), comprising the steps of: by means of the sensor (22) generating (S10) sensor data (46) representing the material flow (18) which is defined by one or more material-flow objects (36), approaching the node (12) in a downstream direction, in a field of vision (26) of the sensor (22), in particular in an inlet section (28) of the node (12); checking (S16) whether the sensor data (46) includes for each of the approaching objects (36-1, 36-2) at least one associated object feature (40) allowing certain identification of the corresponding object (36); and, if the sensor data (46) includes for each of the objects (36-1, 36-2) the at least one associated feature (40) allowing the certain identification, controlling (S18) the material flow (18) at the node (12) based on the sensor data (46); or, if the sensor data (46) does not include for each of the approaching objects (36-1, 36-2) the at least one associated feature (40) allowing the certain identification (S16), controlling (S26) the material flow (18) at the node (12) at least for such of the objects (36-1, 36-2), the associated feature (40) of which is not included in the sensor data (46), based on an information fusion (S22) of the sensor data (46) with pre-generated additional data (50), which originates from at least one information source (52) which differs from the sensor (22) of the node (12), wherein the additional data (50) includes additional object features (40) which allow, together with the features (40) from the sensor data (46), a sufficiently certain identification (S24).