An apparatus for detecting different subjects on the basis of vital signs includes an image detection unit for detecting radiation from a field of view and for providing image data from the field of view. A detection unit defines image sections in the image data and detects movement patterns in each of the different image sections. An identification unit identifies vital signs in the different image section on the basis of the movement pattern. An analysis unit analyzes the image data and detects the different subjects in the field of view on the basis of a spatial separation of the image sections or of groups of image sections in which the vital signs are identified.