A Collaborative Multi-Granularity Architecture for Multi-Source IoT Sensor Data in Air Quality Evaluations

Abstract

Air pollution (AP) is a significant environmental issue that poses a potential threat to human health. Its adverse effects on human health are diverse, ranging from sensory discomfort to acute physiological reactions. As such, air quality evaluation (AQE) serves as a crucial process that involves the collection of samples from the environment and their analysis to measure AP levels. With the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors, real-time and continuous measurement of air pollutants in urban environments has become possible. However, the data obtained from multiple sources of IoT sensors can be uncertain and inaccurate, posing challenges in effectively utilizing and fusing this data. Meanwhile, differences in opinions among decision-makers regarding AQE can affect the outcome of the final decision. To tackle these challenges, this paper systematically investigates a novel multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) approach based on hesitant trapezoidal fuzzy (HTrF) information and discusses its application to AQE. First, by combining HTrF sets (HTrFSs) with multi-granulation rough sets (MGRSs), a new rough set model, named HTrF MGRSs, on a two-universe model is proposed. Second, the definition and property of the presented model are studied. Third, a decision-making approach based on the background of AQE is constructed via utilizing decision-making index sets (DMISs). Lastly, the validity and feasibility of the constructed approach are demonstrated via a case study conducted in the AQE setting using experimental and comparative analyses. The outcomes of the experiment demonstrate that the presented architecture owns the ability to handle multi-source IoT sensor data (MSIoTSD), providing a sensible conclusion for AQE. In summary, the MAGDM method presented in this article is a promising scheme for solving decision-making problems, where HTrFSs possess excellent information description capabilities and can adequately describe indecision and uncertainty information. Meanwhile, MGRSs serve as an outstanding information fusion tool that can improve the quality and level of decision-making. DMISs are better able to analyze and evaluate information and reduce the impact of disagreement on decision outcomes. The proposed architecture, therefore, provides a viable solution for MSIoTSD facing uncertainty or hesitancy in the AQE environment.