The present invention relates to a device and a method for extracting physiological information from detected electro-magnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a subject (10). A data stream (30) derivable from electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a subject (10) is received. The data stream (30) comprises a sequence (76 152) of signal samples (78a, 78b, 78c 154a, 154b, 154c) indicative of desired subject motion and of disturbing motion, the signal samples (78a, 78b, 78c 154a, 154b, 154c) representing at least one region of interest (84 164) and at least one non-indicative motion region (86 166), the at least one defined region of interest (84 164) exhibiting an at least partially periodic indicative motion pattern attributable to at least one physiological parameter (56), and a disturbing motion portion. The sequence (76 152) of signal samples (78a, 78b, 78c 154a, 4b, 154c) is processed. A sequence (158) of derivative motion compensated samples (80 60a, 160b, 160c) at least partially compensated for undesired overall motion is derived. At least one characteristic signal (90 112) at least partially indicative of the at least partially periodic indicative motion pattern is derived from the sequence (158) of derivative motion compensated samples (80 160a, 160b, 160c). The at least one characteristic signal (90 112) 1 is processed under consideration of overall motion residue occurring in the derivative motion compensated samples (80 160a, 160b, 160c), thereby at least one enhanced characteristic signal (98 116) is generated.
