Voder boxes were commonly used by races and cultures who could not produce speech as most other humanoids perceive it. For example, Starfleet ensign Naraht, a Horta, wore a voder box that converted his attempts to communicate with the outside world into an artificial voice that could speak Federation Standard speech. Naraht's voder was also marked with a Starfleet insignia badge and signified rank, in the 2270s as a series of rank insignia stripes (see Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s)). (TOS - Rihannsu novels: My Enemy, My Ally, The Romulan Way)