Apparatus for monitoring vital signs of one or more living subjects comprises a monitoring station and at least one sensor in communication with the monitoring station. The sensor comprises an antenna system, an ultra wideband radar system coupled to the antenna system, a signal processor and a communication system. The signal processor is connected to receive a signal from the ultra wideband radar system and configured to extract from the signal information about one or more vital signs of a person or animal in a sensing volume corresponding to the antenna system. The communication system is configured to transmit the information to the monitoring station.