1. A computer implemented method for generating a 3D digital model of a physical object by registering a plurality of images of the physical object by a curve-based registration process comprising, executing a plurality of instructions on a computing system to perform the steps of: a. identifying a pair of curves comprising, i. from image data of a first image, identifying a first set of characteristic curves of the physical object that has a plurality of characteristic curves, ii. from image data of a second image, identifying a second set of characteristic curves of the physical object, and iii. selecting the first curve from the first set of characteristic curves and the second curve from the second set of characteristic curves to form the pair of curves, wherein the first curve comprises a first set of points having a local behavior that corresponds with local behavior of a second set of points of the second curve; and wherein the pair of curves corresponds to at least one characteristic feature of the physical object that is represented on the first image and the second image; b. identifying a transformation based on the local behavior of the first and second sets of points that aligns the first and second sets of points of the first curve and the second curve; and c. applying the transformation to register the first and second images to generate the 3D model of the physical object.