A frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar system comprising: an antenna array; a transceiver configured to generate radar signals via the antenna array; and a processing unit configured to: direct the transceiver to generate, for a plurality of frames, the radar signals having a chirp pattern that has a first period of multiple chirps followed by a second period of idle time; apply a Fourier transform to respective reflections of the radar signals obtained during each of the plurality of frames to determine a respective amplitude of the reflections as a function of range for each of the plurality of frames; based on the respective amplitude of the reflections for each of the plurality of frames, determine a standard deviation in the respective amplitude for the reflections within each of the plurality of frames; and in response to the standard deviation in the respective amplitude for any of the reflections within the plurality of frames satisfying a noise threshold, output, an indication of a living object detected during the plurality of frames characterized in that the second period of idle time is longer than the first period of multiple chirps. an antenna array; a transceiver configured to generate radar signals via the antenna array; and a processing unit configured to: direct the transceiver to generate, for a plurality of frames, the radar signals having a chirp pattern that has a first period of multiple chirps followed by a second period of idle time; apply a Fourier transform to respective reflections of the radar signals obtained during each of the plurality of frames to determine a respective amplitude of the reflections as a function of range for each of the plurality of frames; based on the respective amplitude of the reflections for each of the plurality of frames, determine a standard deviation in the respective amplitude for the reflections within each of the plurality of frames; and in response to the standard deviation in the respective amplitude for any of the reflections within the plurality of frames satisfying a noise threshold, output, an indication of a living object detected during the plurality of frames characterized in that the second period of idle time is longer than the first period of multiple chirps. direct the transceiver to generate, for a plurality of frames, the radar signals having a chirp pattern that has a first period of multiple chirps followed by a second period of idle time; apply a Fourier transform to respective reflections of the radar signals obtained during each of the plurality of frames to determine a respective amplitude of the reflections as a function of range for each of the plurality of frames; based on the respective amplitude of the reflections for each of the plurality of frames, determine a standard deviation in the respective amplitude for the reflections within each of the plurality of frames; and in response to the standard deviation in the respective amplitude for any of the reflections within the plurality of frames satisfying a noise threshold, output, an indication of a living object detected during the plurality of frames characterized in that the second period of idle time is longer than the first period of multiple chirps.