My implementation of a touchdown event via javascript

async function swipedetect(el, callback, threshold=50, minimumTime=150, allowedTime=2000){

    var touchsurface = el,
    swipedir,
    startX,
    startY,
    distX,
    distY,
    threshold = threshold, //required min distance traveled to be considered swipe in X
//    restraintX = restraintX, // maximum distance allowed at the same time in perpendicular direction in X
//    thresholdY = thresholdY, //required min distance traveled to be considered swipe in Y
//    restraintY = restraintY, // maximum distance allowed at the same time in perpendicular direction in Y
    minimumTime = minimumTime, // maximum time allowed to travel that distance
    allowedTime = allowedTime, // maximum time allowed to travel that distance
    elapsedTime,
    startTime,
    handleswipe = callback || function(swipedir){}

    touchsurface.addEventListener('touchstart', function(e){
        var touchobj = e.changedTouches[0]
        swipedir = 'none'
        dist = 0
        startX = touchobj.pageX
        startY = touchobj.pageY
        startTime = new Date().getTime() // record time when finger first makes contact with surface
        // e.preventDefault()
    }, false)

    touchsurface.addEventListener('touchmove', function(e){
        e.preventDefault() // prevent scrolling when inside DIV
    }, false)

    touchsurface.addEventListener('touchend', function(e){
        var touchobj = e.changedTouches[0]
        distX = touchobj.pageX - startX; // get horizontal dist traveled by finger while in contact with surface
        distY = touchobj.pageY - startY; // get vertical dist traveled by finger while in contact with surface
        dist = distY * distY + distX * distX;
        dist = Math.sqrt(dist);
        elapsedTime = new Date().getTime() - startTime; // get time elapsed
        // calculate the angle of the movement
        angle = (Math.atan2(distY, distX) / Math.PI * 180)
        // convert angle to a sector of the movement
        // offsetting it by 45 degreees to get the movement easier.
        // and ensuring its positive
        sector = (angle + 45 + 360) % 360;
        sector = Math.floor(sector/90);
        if (elapsedTime >= minimumTime && elapsedTime <= allowedTime && dist >= threshold){ // first condition for a swipe met
            switch (sector) {
               case 0: swipedir = "right"; break;
               case 1: swipedir = "up"; break;
               case 2: swipedir = "left"; break;
               case 3: swipedir = "down"; break;
            }
        }
        handleswipe(swipedir)
        if (dist >= threshold) {
          e.preventDefault()
        }
    }, false)
}

async function swipe_enable(elementid='menu', table={'right':'a', 'up':'w', 'left':'d', 'down':'s', 'none': null}) {
  var el = document.getElementById(elementid);
  if (el) {
    swipedetect(el, async function(swipedir){
      //swipedir contains either "none", "left", "right", "top", or "down"
      let key = table[swipedir];
      document.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', {'key': key}));
    })
  }
}