An electrolarynx, sometimes referred to as a "throat back", is a medical device used to produce clearer speech by those people who have lost their voice box, usually due to cancer of the larynx.
However, more recent mechanical larynxes have demonstrated similar voice production to commercially available electrolarynxes.
Since then, medical procedures, such as the tracheo-oesophageal puncture, and the rarely performed laryngeal transplantation surgery, have been created to enable speech without continued dependence on a handheld device.
[2][3] The use of an electrolarynx can cause social issues, for instance difficulty ordering food, drinks, or other items in noisy environments;[6] or, when answering a telephone, having the caller respond, "Am I talking to a computer?
[5]Traditional electrolarynxes produce a monotone buzz that the user articulates into speech sounds, resulting in the characteristic "robotlike" voice quality.