Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for reading matrix codes comprising an ultrasound transducer 20 which comprises transmitter and receiver electrodes, a receiver unit 24 connected to the receiver electrodes for processing the signals received by the receiver electrodes, and a transmitter module 21 connected to the transmitter electrodes, the transmitter module transferring an electronic signal to the transducer, where the signal shape is selected between a number of signal shapes according to the characteristics of the matrix code to be read.