A Review of Routing Protocol Selection for Wireless Sensor Networks in Smart Cities

Abstract

Today, the advancements in urban technology have transformed into the concept of smart cities. These smart cities are envisioned to be heavily dependent on wireless sensor networks and internet of things. In this context, a number of routing protocols have been proposed in literature for use in sensor networks. We articulate on why these routing protocols need to be segregated on the basis of their operational mechanism and utility, so that selection of these protocols results in network longevity and improved performance. We classify these protocols in four categories in terms of topology incognizant, data centric, location assisted and mobility based protocols. We identify the prevailing open issues to make space for more productive research and propose how these categories may be useful in terms of their operational utility.