SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Mike Kuniavsky is one of those select few who’ve been able to stay abreast of the possibilities the Internet presented from its emergence in the early ’90s.

“I don’t want to say I’ve been at the forefront of everything,” said Kuniavsky, a San Francisco resident. “But I try to be in the group of early adopters.”

After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in computer science and film/video studies, Kuniavsky became part of the initial wave of Internet aficionados in the early ’90s, joining Presence, one of the first established Web design companies that helped create interactive programs such as Shopping Cart.

Later, he spent time as an interaction designer at Hot Bot, one of the first Internet search engines, and HotHotHot, an e-commerce site that was also one of the first of its kind.

Kuniavsky embarked on missions of his own as well, founding Adaptive Path, an Internet consulting company, writing a book titled “Observing the User Experience,” a case-studied investigation about the relationship between online users and the Internet, and starting the critically acclaimed Web site, Tired.com, a bare-bones experience that encourages users to detail what makes them tired.

Kuniavsky, 38, is now focusing on what might be his most ambitious undertaking.

Thingm, a Web site Kuniavsky is developing with Tod E. Kurt, seeks to channel the boundless information of the Internet into specific experiences for users.

“Before a computer specialized in very generalized information processing,” Kuniavsky said. “Now we can manipulate it to use it for very specific things, such as designing furniture distinctive to one environment, or selecting a special kind of wine to accompany a meal. We want to change the fundamental nature of information processing.”

The project has already attracted a number of prospective clients.