Hint:
1. Watch the bot's “camera” (head). What does it do, and when?
2. There are some times that the bot is looking all around, but there are other times where it is occupied and not looking around. Make use of those times, and Ian'll dare to leave his hiding behind the hedge.
3. (Here comes the solution:)
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The bot is distracted whenever it waters one of the trees. When it is moving around, it looks all around so that's no good and Ian must hide. When it is watering the plants in the front, it doesn't look all around, but it is headed in the direction of the hedge, and so that's no good either and Ian must stay in his hiding place. So wait for moments where the bot waters the conifer or the palm. In these times the bot is looking away. Now you can interact with things that are about as far as the door is. You might even get them out of the sight of the bot altogether so that it can't see what you do with them ...