A method of localizing an object includes capturing a first image of the object from a first camera position, performing edge detection on the first image to form an edge-detected second image, and performing a distance transform on the second image to form a distance transformed third image. A virtual camera is positioned in virtual space relative to a virtual model of the object, and an edge-detected fourth image of the virtual model of the object is generated. An alignment cost is generated of the edge-detected fourth image of the virtual model relative to the edge-detected second image of the object, and a position of the virtual camera is transformed to a position having a lower alignment cost than the alignment cost. A physical location of the object is estimated based on the transformed virtual camera position.