Hail Halx, et al!
I extracted the following information from here:
http://www.tootsie.com/memoriesLicksMachine.html
The Licking Machine
We (Tootsie Inc.) are aware of three studies that have been conducted. Each group contacted us to inform us of the results of their experiments:
A group of engineering students from Purdue University recorded that their licking machine, modeled after a human tongue, took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. They tried the same licking test on 20 volunteers and found that the average licks to the center were 252 licks.
Plans for the Purdue licking machine
I could use one of these.
A chemical engineering doctorate student from the University of Michigan recorded that his licking machine required an average of 411 licks per Tootsie Pop.
A group of students at Swathmore School used human lickers in a scientific experiment and determined it took an average of 144 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Personally, I believe surface area of tongue, licks per second and oral moisture content are all significant factors that have not been addressed. What about non-human tongues? I demand a grant for further research and 1,000 volunteer tongues!
-GH