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 . <EOS>