It's an outdoor stairway. About 5 steps in total that lead to a porch. The porch is already lit hardwired with 12v lights. Those lights as well as the can's are on timers. Safety/security reasons are the driving forces here. Think of it as a trip wire motion sensor. I googled around a bit and found solutions that may have potential via the manufacturing/packing automation industry.
"Those who sacrifice liberty For security deserve neither." - Benjamin Franklin