Geeking it out in the wild

Andy Quitmeyer is no Hannah Montana, but he too brings the best of both worlds together.

In his new six-episode television series, Hacking the Wild, we follow Quitmeyer as he uses everyday technology to survive in some of the world's most remote places.

He is known as the world's first digital survivalist, combining nature and technology to create gadgets that can help keep him alive. These innovations or "hacks" as he calls them include repelling devices, traps and even heating systems.

The New Paper met Quitmeyer for a demonstration of his skills in the wilds of Coney Island.

There he fashioned a leaf motion detector using a buzzer, a computer chip and some wires and crocodile clips.

The device turns a bush into a proximity sensor, alerting one to potential predators nearby by emitting a buzzing sound when the leaves are agitated.

The device could also be tweaked to take photos, which may be useful to anyone studying wildlife.

Describing himself as "more of a jungle or forest kind of guy", the 31-year-oldclaimed that the craziest place he has been to on the show was up on the glaciers in Alaska.

"When you're on a glacier, there's just kind of nothing there. It's just ice and deadly ice pits," he said.

"It's a scary, crazy but beautiful place."

Unlike most adventurers, Quitmeyer brings mostly electronics with him whenever he goes out into the wild.

His backpack can weigh up to 35kg. Although he does not have a fixed set of tools he brings along, his must-haves include a portable soldering iron and a mini screwdriver set.

Bringing all these fragile electronics into the wilderness can also be a challenge.

"I can get rained on, I can get muddy but once my butane soldering iron drops into the mud, it's not going to work again," he confessed.

"It's almost like I have to babysit the technology a little bit at times even when it's there to help me out."

When he is not out on expeditions, Quitmeyer works as an assistant professor at the National University of Singapore's communications and new media department.

Hacking the Wild premieres May 31at 9.55pm on Discovery Channel Southeast Asia.