ISO 20685-2:2015 addresses protocols for testing of 3-D surface-scanning systems in the acquisition of human body shape data and measurements. It does not apply to instruments that measure the motion of individual landmarks.

While mainly concerned with whole-body scanners, it is also applicable to body-segment scanners (head scanners, hand scanners, foot scanners). This International Standard applies to body scanners that measure the human body in a single view. When a hand-held scanner is evaluated, it has to be noted that the human operator can contribute to the overall error. When systems are evaluated in which the subject is rotated, movement artefacts can be introduced; these can also contribute to the overall error. This part of ISO 20685 applies to the landmark positions determined by an anthropometrist. It does not apply to landmark positions automatically calculated by software from the point cloud.

The quality of surface shape of the human body and landmark positions is influenced by performance of scanner systems and humans including measurers and subjects. This part of ISO 20685 addresses the performance of scanner systems by using artefacts rather than human subjects as test objects.

Traditional instruments are required to be accurate to millimetre. Their accuracy can be verified by comparing the instrument with a scale calibrated according to an international standard of length. To verify or specify the accuracy of body scanners, a calibrated test object with known form and size is used.

The intended audience is those who use 3-D body scanners to create 3-D anthropometric databases including 3-D landmark locations, the users of these data, and scanner designers and manufacturers. This part of ISO 20685 intends to provide the basis for the agreement on the performance of body scanners between scanner users and scanner providers as well as between 3-D anthropometric database providers and data users.