A blockchain and IoT based framework for decentralised smart campus environment

Rapid development in science and information technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), has led to a growth in the number of studies and research papers on smart cities in recent years and, more specifically, on the construction of smart campus technologies. These technologies provide smart solutions or predictions with the convenience of sharing data. However, privacy and security aspects are major concerns because of the data being stored by a third party. Thus, an open research question is how to develop a smart campus that ensures data privacy and security. This thesis introduces, designs and evaluates a novel smart campus framework architecture based on IoT and blockchain technologies to provide a comprehensive guiding framework. The framework ensures the collection and aggregation of the data from various areas of the campus while increasing the security of the data, thereby providing better service to enhance the experience of the user. The study uses a design science research (DSR) approach to conduct the overall analysis. As a proof of concept, this framework is tested for integration of blockchain and other relevant technologies into a smart educational environment. Different case scenarios were implemented after determining the blockchain platforms that were the most suitable, based on consensus algorithms. Hyperledger fabric blockchain with a Raft consensus algorithm was used to decentralise a smart educational environment. A benchmark tool and relevant software were used to provide comprehensive results, including execution time, latency and resource utilisation. The results of this research are particularly useful in the context of developing a smart campus. It is expected that the proposed framework will have useful applications in a variety of fields, where it is necessary to determine whether a satisfactory level of IoT and blockchain technologies has been achieved and maintained in accordance with the relevant safety and security standards for storing and sharing data.