MITS Research Proposal: IoT in Smart Cities - Pros and Cons

This research proposal, submitted by a student at the Victorian Institute of Technology for the MITS Advanced Research Techniques course, investigates the multifaceted role of the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart cities. The study aims to analyze both the advantages and disadvantages of IoT implementation within urban environments, addressing challenges related to increasing populations and resource management. The proposal outlines a qualitative research approach, utilizing journal articles and research papers to explore the benefits such as improved traffic management, efficient resource allocation, and enhanced public services. The research also acknowledges potential drawbacks, including privacy concerns and financial implications. The research design employs a descriptive approach to systematically elaborate on the phenomenon, with a proposed seven-week timeline for completion. The paper concludes by highlighting the significance of the research in filling knowledge gaps regarding the use of IoT in smart cities, offering insights into both the opportunities and the challenges associated with this rapidly evolving field.

MITS Advanced Research Techniques
Research Proposal
Candidate:
Student Name
Higher Education Department
Victorian Institute of Technology
Proposed Title:
The title of the project reflects on the pros and cons of IoT in smart cities
Abstract
The paper mainly reflects on the use of IoT in smart cities. The main aim of the research is to showcase
both the pros and cons of using IoT in smart cities and how IoT is helpful in resolving the problems
that the major cities of the world are facing due to population. The paper utilizes qualitative research
and therefore reviews a number of journal articles as well as research paper in order to gather proper
information about the entire research. Furthermore, the paper uses descriptive research in order to
properly elaborate the importance of IoT in major cities of the world and the major cities are becoming
smart cities. Proper schedule is created that reflects that 7 weeks of time is mainly required in order to
successfully complete the research.
Outline of the Proposed Research
Background
The population of the cities that are present in urban areas are increasing. It is forecasted from the latest
report that around 60% of the world’s population will generally live in major cities by the year 2030
which further can raise a number of challenges including freshwater scarcity, piling of garbage,
collapsing of traffic as well as rising of air pollution. It is found that in order to manage such issues and

for providing proper quality of life to the people who are staying in major cities, it is necessary to focus
on the concept of smart city [2]. It is identified that smart city generally reflects on networked as well
as intelligent way that helps in providing better quality of life by decreasing the consumption of
resources.
Purpose
The primary purpose of undertaking this particular research is to resolve the issues that the major
populated cities faces due to increasing population and for contributing within a healthier environment
for properly improving traffic for increasing public safety as well as for optimizing street lightening. In
addition to this, IoT in smart cities is helpful in managing parking, public transport and further assists
in proper waste management by tracking waste levels as well as by providing proper route of
optimization as well as operational analytics. In spite of the advantages, the paper also elaborates the
cons of using IoT in smart cities which includes privacy issues, financial issues as well as increased
dependency on the services that are delivered both by public and private sector for running the smart
cities.
Rationale
It is found the research mainly focuses on the pros and cons of IoT in smart cities. The use of IoT in
smart cities helps in ensuring that the citizens generally can travel from one location to another safely
as smart traffic generally utilizes different types of sensors including GPS data from drivers [5]. By
using the GPS, smart parking solution can also be provided for determining whether the parking lot is
occupied or not and thus it helps in creating proper real time parking map. In addition to this, the data
from the various IoT sensors can be utilized for revealing different types of patterns of how the citizens
can use transport as it generally helps in enhancing travelling experience [1]. Moreover, IoT equipped
smart cities generally allows the citizens for saving money by giving them proper control over different
types of home utilities.
Furthermore, IoT based smart cities are helpful in maintaining as well as controlling street lightening
and further helps in optimizing collecting waste by tracking the waste levels as well as by providing
them proper route of optimization as well as proper operational analytics.
As not all glitters are gold and within the technology cities, it is found that there are a number of
disadvantages which are associated with different types of technological aspects which further can
produce a number of setbacks in proper expansion of the city [7]. It is found that due to use of IoT in
smart cities, privacy get reduced and in order to become much more efficient, we need to properly
observe habits of the various consumers in different aspects as well as levels. Lastly, it is also analyzed
that due to increasing complexity which is absorbed by the smart cities, one can be able to produce

proper amount of waste [9].
Research Topic and central research question
The research questions are:
 What are the benefits of using IoT in smart cities?
 What are the cons of using IoT in smart cities?
 How IoT is helpful in resolving problems that major cities faces due to pollution?
Benefits of IoT in smart cities
With the help of IoT, smart cities can be able to create different types of conditions for proper
development including urban infrastructures as well as proper planning of the buildings. It is found that
Co2 emission must be properly kept as low with the help of IoT and it further utilizes different types of
intelligent technologies for achieving proper energy efficient as well as environmentally friendly
infrastructure [4]. The utilization of IoT also helps in forecasting the level of air pollution so that proper
measure can be taken for resolving it. In addition to this, Intelligent parking related solutions can also
be identified due to the use of IoT as the sensors which are mainly present on the ground report with
the help of smartphone to the driver so that they can be able to find proper parking space [8].
Disadvantages of using IoT in smart cities
Privacy concerns are the most valid concern when IoT is used in smart cities. It is found that proper
collection of citizens data generally helps in raising issues related with privacy as well as potential
monitoring [10]. The concepts which are related with the data of citizens generally rises a number of
host issues as well as concerns. In addition to this, it is found that the utilization of data generally needs
to be transparent as it is the responsibility of the city officials to properly ensure that they are proper
working with trusted as well as credible players. Moreover, councils, business as well as other involved
parties generally do not understand the benefits as well as data that is generated as it is quite difficult to
properly release the proper business case for effective implementation [1].
Methodological Approach
It is found that qualitative research is mainly utilized in order to undertake research on the pros and
cons of IoT in smart cities. It is found that that different types of journal articles, research papers as
well as websites are mainly reviewed in order to analyze both the benefits as well as disadvantages of
using IoT within smart cities [11]. The journal articles as well as research papers that are reviewed
helps in elaborating the significance that IoT plays in smart cities and also helps in identifying the

challenges which can also occur. With the help of qualitative research, the researcher can be able to
gather proper information about the significance of IoT and how it is beneficial in changing the life
style of people in major cities of the world
Research Design
Research design is one of the frameworks which is associated with research methods as well as
techniques that are mainly selected for undertaking the research properly [12]. It is found that in this
paper, descriptive research design will be mainly utilized for researching the pros and cons of IoT in
smart cities. It is found that descriptive research design is selected as with the help of this particular
method, one can be able to accurately as well as systematically elaborate the entire phenomenon of the
research that is undertaken.
Contribution
The research that is mainly undertaken is quite significant as it helps in elaborating the pros and cons of
using IoT in smart cities. With the help of this research, the gaps that is present in the knowledge about
the use of IoT get filled as both the advantages of disadvantages of using IoT is properly elaborated. It
is found that in spite of a number of advantages of using IoT in managing the issues of major cities of
the world, this research paper also elaborates the other side of using IoT and reflects that a number of
privacy issues can occur as personal data of the individuals that are collected can be misused.
Therefore, it can be found that the research paper also helps in extending the knowledge of the
researchers in the field of IoT
Proposed Time Schedule
As per the time schedule that is proposed below, it is found that around 7 weeks of time is mainly
required for undertaking the research successfully.
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Problem
identification
Solution
identification
Setting
objectives
Setting
research

question
Reviewing
journal
articles and
research
papers
Selection of
research
design
Reflecting
contribution
Submission
of the report

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