Consumers foresee the arrival of the smart home as even more imminent than that of smart cars or wearable technology. And while they welcome it, their enthusiasm is tempered by some confusion around the smart home concept, as well as concerns about price, ease of use, and physical and data security, according to new research from iModerate, a leading qualitative research firm.

While consumers aren’t quite sure if the smart home is a product, a series of products, or a comprehensive system they can purchase, they envision the smart home as a means to solve numerous problems and issues they face on a daily basis. Study participants said they think a smart home would be most beneficial when they’re away from home: specifically, they said a smart home would alleviate worries of leaving an appliance on (72%); help lower energy bills (71%); and reduce burglary worries (58%).