A deployable prop for use in supporting an object at a desired location adjacent to a surface , the deployable prop comprising: a bistable tape that extends from a first terminal end to a second terminal end and between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge that is substantially parallel to the first lateral edge ; wherein the tape has a deployed state and an undeployed state; wherein, when the tape is in an undeployed state, the tape is in a flat, rolled shape wherein the first lateral edge is separated from the second lateral edge by a first lateral edge distance over a substantial length of the tape and the first terminal end is separated from the second terminal end by a first terminal end distance; wherein, when the tape is in a deployed state, the first lateral edge is separated from the second lateral edge by a second lateral edge distance that is less than the first lateral edge distance over a substantial length of the tape, the first terminal end of the tape is separated from the second terminal end of the tape by a second terminal end distance that is greater than the first terminal end distance, the tape extends substantially linearly from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, and a transverse curve is established over a substantial length of the tape, the bistable tape being stable in the undeployed state and in the deployed state and being unstable when between states such that transitioning one of the first and second terminal ends of the tape from the undeployed shape to the deployed shape places the tape in an unstable state causing the tape to self-deploy to the deployed state; and a head member operatively attached to the second terminal end of the tape and configured to support an object against a surface . a bistable tape that extends from a first terminal end to a second terminal end and between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge that is substantially parallel to the first lateral edge ; wherein the tape has a deployed state and an undeployed state; wherein, when the tape is in an undeployed state, the tape is in a flat, rolled shape wherein the first lateral edge is separated from the second lateral edge by a first lateral edge distance over a substantial length of the tape and the first terminal end is separated from the second terminal end by a first terminal end distance; wherein, when the tape is in a deployed state, the first lateral edge is separated from the second lateral edge by a second lateral edge distance that is less than the first lateral edge distance over a substantial length of the tape, the first terminal end of the tape is separated from the second terminal end of the tape by a second terminal end distance that is greater than the first terminal end distance, the tape extends substantially linearly from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, and a transverse curve is established over a substantial length of the tape, the bistable tape being stable in the undeployed state and in the deployed state and being unstable when between states such that transitioning one of the first and second terminal ends of the tape from the undeployed shape to the deployed shape places the tape in an unstable state causing the tape to self-deploy to the deployed state; and a head member operatively attached to the second terminal end of the tape and configured to support an object against a surface . <EOS>