Abstract: A visco-elastic delayed actuator and system are provided, including a visco-elastic delayed actuator which includes a restorable and collapsible structure having at least two confronting surfaces and a resilient member interconnecting the surfaces. A visco-elastic delay member including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of the confronting surfaces of the structure provides a visco-elastic holding force when the confronting surfaces come into mutual contact with the visco-elastic adhesive. The delayed actuator system also includes a support section and an operator member mounted in the support section. A resilient member in the structure biases the operator member in a first state while permitting the operator member to be selectively switched to a second state, thereby initiating a visco-elastic delay period.