# All about Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) Contributions to Future Internet
## 4 Discussion and Conclusions
This feature also allows for optimizing search results when time is not a critical issue, as delivered information can then be more complete and enhanced. In this context, we have identified works that implement solutions leveraging DTN combined with ICN paradigms like NDN and CCN in critical and challenging domains. Environments like IoT, emergency scenarios, and VANETs demand adaptive and multiprotocol solutions, as well as mechanisms and frameworks to deal with the heterogeneity and special requirements of the involved ecosystems (e.g., the prioritization of messages, large data delivery, forwarding strategies, and dynamic content caching). Likewise, in IoT and smart city applications, DTN-based solutions can enhance system efficiency and enable real-time data utilization, as well as better decision making according to the collected and processed data. In this context, the development of dynamic and next-generation routing solutions/protocols, as well as the integration with data analytics and ML/AI-oriented solutions, can improve IoT efficiency. Furthermore, user experiences can be enhanced in smart city scenarios while providing the necessary means for remote monitoring and surveillance in domains such as healthcare, e.g., monitoring patients in remote and rural areas, or public transportation, e.g., optimizing public transportation by avoiding traffic during peak hours. The contribution of DTN in underwater applications is equally important, as it assists in dealing with limitations such as the propagation delay and the limited bandwidth and environmental factors present in underwater environments. Some representative examples include the monitoring of environmental data in underwater ecosystems or the establishment of acoustic communication among underwater vehicles and offshore stations. Finally, DTN plays a crucial role in the Underwater IoT, thereby enabling a wide range of applications in this domain. As emphasized in the Section 4, it is important to acknowledge that this work does not attempt to provide a comprehensive and exhaustive review covering the entirety of applications and domains in which DTN excels. Instead, it focuses on specific research areas that can benefit from enhancements provided by DTN, i.e., space, ICN/DTN, IoT and smart cities, and underwater applications. In future work, we intend to expand upon the findings presented in this DTN-focused paper, thereby covering a broader spectrum of domains and applications. This includes investigating innovative technologies, which can act as enablers of the Future Internet such as 5G/6G and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies, e.g., NarrowBand IoT and Zigbee, Software-Defined Networking (SDN), ML/AI-driven networking, or edge computing. Along these lines, we aim to explore how these technologies intersect with DTN's perspective within the evolving internet landscape. In addition, an examination of DTN's performance through an overarching analysis of its real-world applications presents an interesting area for further investigation. By closely examining the practical implementations of DTN in these contexts, we can gain valuable insights into its effectiveness, scalability, and adaptability in dynamic and challenging environments. Conceptualization, V.T. ; methodology, G.K., K.S. and V.T. ; validation, V.T. ; formal analysis, V.T. ; investigation, G.K. and K.S. ; resources, G.K., K.S. and V.T. ; data curation, G.K. and K.S. ; writing--original draft preparation, G.K., K.S. and V.T. ; writing--review and editing, V.T. ; visualization, G.K.; supervision, V.T. ; project administration, V.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research received no external funding. Not applicable. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.