A system and method for operating a human control interface (HCI) for one or more devices in a wireless network. A first device in the wireless network determines an amount of noise in the wireless network, and selects one of a plurality of sounding techniques based at least in part on the determined amount of noise. The wireless communications device further detects a pattern of Doppler shifts in a received set of wireless signals using the selected sounding technique, and identifies a Doppler signature based at least in part on the pattern of Doppler shifts. The wireless communications device then associates the Doppler signature with a user input for controlling a second device in the wireless network.