The incessant improvements in IC technology have made it possible to conceptualize “information appliances” providing nearly unimaginable scalar, vector, and massively parallel information processing capability in small and relatively cheap computing platforms. The successful commercialization of such systems requires substantially shortened “time-to-market”, as well as dramatically reduced cost-of-ownership, and places extraordinary demands on packaging and physical design. A science-based physical design methodology, which can guide the development, selection, and evaluation of advanced packaging technology, will be needed to generate these sophisticated products. Mechanical engineers must play a major role in replacing the conventional “trial and error” development process with a science-based design methodology.