Who I Am
I'm Mohamad Sakkal, 31, based in Vienna, Austria. I'm a software developer, independent mental health researcher, and the sole builder of Cortex — an AI-powered health journaling app designed for neurodivergent people.
I have ASD, ADHD, and recurrent depression. I'm blind in my left eye after a childhood injury and eleven surgeries. I came to Austria from Syria in 2015 as a recognized refugee. I speak Arabic, English, and German.
What I Do
I build software that serves people whose brains work differently. Cortex is a journaling app where you write or speak freely, and the AI remembers everything — classifies entries, extracts patterns, and provides a chat assistant that knows your full history. No re-explaining yourself. No copy-pasting into chatbots. The app remembers. The AI interprets fresh each time.
I built it alone because I needed it and it didn't exist.
What I Know
- Software: Swift/SwiftUI, Python, Java, C#, CoreData, AWS Bedrock, semantic search, NLP, UI/UX design
- Domain expertise: ADHD neurophysiology, dopamine/serotonin regulation, PDA profiles, ASD sensory processing, neurodivergent health tracking
- Research: 10+ years systematic self-study in neurodivergent psychology, AI safety in mental health applications
- Experience: Bosch (IT Intern), Knorr-Bremse (Software Developer Intern)
- Education: Information & Communication Systems, FH Technikum Wien; Computer Science, University of Aleppo
Why I Write
I spent eleven years navigating Austrian systems — disability, residency, employment, university, healthcare — and accumulated a story that doesn't fit into any single category or any single conversation. This blog is where I put it down, in full, so it exists outside my own head.
I write about what I've been through, what I'm building, and what I've learned about how systems treat people they weren't designed for.
Contact
Email: m_sakkal@outlook.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/MS443
Project: ms-dev.app